RSS Feed MenuA new Siena Poll released yesterday shows that a Senate seat could still be be Rudy Giuliani’s if he decides to run against sitting Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) next year.
The poll shows Giuliani up by seven points over the Democratic incumbent, 49%-42%. The survey shows little movement from November, when Giuliani led Gillibrand by six points.
Indeed, Senator Gillibrand faces a rather uphill battle should Rudy Giuliani choose to enter the field. Beyond voting preferences, Giuliani remains one of the most popular politicians in the state: his favorable/unfavorable rating stands at +22, well above Gillibrand’s mediocre rating of +9. In fact, Giuliani has the highest such rating among all the politicians that Siena polled for.
Regardless, Gillibrand has substantial problems of her own. Having never run for statewide office, many New Yorkers don’t yet know who she is or what she stands for. To be sure, 47% of the Siena poll respondents had neither a favorable or unfavorable impression of her, and only 30% of voters said that they would vote for her in November 2010.
Despite her troubles, the Republicans need Giuliani if they hope to win the seat back. If the former New York Mayor passes on a Senate bid, the Republican nomination looks likely to fall to three-term New York Governor George Pataki, who trails Gillibrand 46%-43% in the Siena poll despite significantly higher name identification and a +18 favorable/unfavorable rating.
This Siena survey comes in the wake of Giuliani’s decision not to run for Governor just a few weeks ago.
Several New York politicians have urged Giuliani to shift his sights from Albany, NY to Washington, D.C. Among them is State Senator Dean G. Skelos, who told The New York Times that a Giuliani run for the Senate would be “great for our state”.
Some have speculated that Giuliani’s decision to avoid a run for the Governor’s mansion may be related to his cool relationship with the new New York state Republican chairman, Edward F. Cox, who has publicly called for Giuliani to run for Senate rather than for Governor.
tdawg11870 // Dec 16, 2009 at 6:15 pm
This is the same situation we had during the GOP presidential primaries. People liked the image of Giuliani, tough guy. But when he opened his mouth, it turned to be a series of references to 9/11, tough-guy posturing and not much else.
Social issues didn’t sink Giuliani in the primaries, it was the fact that he was all hat and no cattle.
Plus, there’s the small matter of the smarmy divorces, the years of shamelessly cashing in, and the Kerik mess to work out. The attack ads write themselves.
Go get a better Republican.
Chekote // Dec 16, 2009 at 8:21 pm
I think Giuliani is damaged goods. It pains me to say this but he overdid the 9/11 references. He had a great record as mayor to run on. Instead, it was 9/11, 9/11, 9/11. Everybody knew what he did on that day. There was not need for him to even bring it up.
franco 2 // Dec 17, 2009 at 7:05 am
I agree with Chekote and tdawg11870,and I have to add that I don’t think being a Senator is something Rudy wants. He’s an executive and a pretty good one considering. Becoming Senator is for those who want attention without responsibility.
DFL // Dec 17, 2009 at 9:01 am
Guiliani would win against Gillibrand. However, it may be that Senator Gillibrand might get a reprieve due to Guiliani’s desire for big money, which is now his in the private sector.
sinz54 // Dec 17, 2009 at 9:26 am
Let’s remember that Giuliani was running for President–and polls showed that national base Republicans considered the War on Terror a major issue. Hence, Giuliani’s frequent references to 9-11.
I doubt that Giuliani would mention 9-11 as much in a Senate race. He knows that Senate races hinge on local issues. And as a former mayor of NYC, he has a lot he can talk about there.
Let’s not write him off. Instead, Steele should tell him to play down the War on Terror and talk about local issues.
jabbermule // Dec 17, 2009 at 10:24 am
I think Giuliani would make an outstanding senator, and whatever it takes to get rid of Gillibrand, the better. I saw her in action at a climate change senate subcommittee hearing in September and I don’t think I’ve seen a more arrogant, puffed-up, self-important liberal elitist in the entire time I’ve spent here in Washington.
MI-GOPer // Dec 17, 2009 at 10:58 am
I hate to go against the conventional conservative wisdom, but I think the GOP should nominate the candidate who can best beat Searching4Gillibrand… that’s the only thing that matters.
To suggest that NY state voters care about Rudy’s weddings, trists, or family chaos is to project on NY state voters a sense of family values that’s never existed. NY voters, proven in the selection of carpetbagging Clinton, want celebrities for office… not angels. It’s taken Michigan’s Senator StupidCow nearly a decade to finally show up on the radar screen in the Senate… NY voters know that and want someone in office who’s there to lead, the day after election, in getting what NYers want most -other peoples’ money and reassurance NY is still the most important state in the Union.
It’s Rudy all the way and if he announces, I’m sending a check for $1000.
tdawg11870 // Dec 17, 2009 at 11:47 am
MI-GOPer: I love the fact that you’re putting in your two sense on who the GOP should run in a state full of people you clearly hate.
Add that to your long history of being able to name a Democratic politician without trying to shoehorn the name into some sort of insulting nickname.
Is it possible that everything wrong with the Republican Party has been distilled into one comment box bloviator? The utter disdain for Americans who disagree with you – not a good way to get votes. The inability to see certain politicians as anything but their most extreme characterture. The prioritization of insult and hate over policy and governance. The irrelevance of an endless string of petty grievances.
If the Republican party is in the hands of people like MI-GOPer, it’s curtains. Last one out the door, please get the lights.