Rudy Can't Fail (If He Doesn't Run)

Despite a series of polls showing him leading Democratic Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand by a wide margin, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has indicated that he we will not run for Senate in 2010:

The decision by Mr. Giuliani, 65, leaves Senator Gillibrand — who was appointed to her seat less than a year ago, has never run in a statewide election, and is still unfamiliar to many voters — without a high-profile Republican opponent as she faces election to the seat.

As recently as a week ago, a Quinnipiac University poll showed Mr. Giuliani leading Ms. Gillibrand in a hypothetical matchup, 50 percent to 40 percent.

Mr. Giuliani, whose decision to forgo a race for governor was reported a month ago, plans to endorse Rick Lazio for governor of New York on Tuesday afternoon at a news conference in Manhattan, the Republicans said. Mr. Giuliani's intentions were reported by The Daily News on its Web site Monday evening.

Many Republican leaders, sensing anger at Albany and incumbent politicians in general, had seen the former mayor as the strongest potential candidate for governor or for Senate in 2010. But party officials had begun agitating for him to declare his intentions as to the Senate race.