Rudolph Giuliani To File Candidacy Declaration With FEC

Rudolph Giuliani took a giant step towards a presidential bid on Monday with his intentions to file presidential candidacy papers with the Federal Election Commission. This makes Giuliani the third high profile Republican to seek the presidency. In the latest 2008 presidential preference poll from New Hampshire, the first primary state after the early 2008 Iowa caucas, Giuliani currently ties at 20% support with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Senator John McCain narrowly leads both at 27%.

While Giuliani may prove to have popular support among some Democrats as well as independent voters, among the more conservative Republican voters in the party primary trail in 2008, Giuliani may have something of a more difficult time securing the nomination.

Compared to both John McCain or Mitt Romney who have been gathering important financial backing for their presidential efforts, Giuliani has been a little late and slow in this area. Another problem is the support for softer enforcement measures against some illegal immigrants by Giuliani while mayor of New York City. Giuliani has also been prochoice on the abortion issue, which makes him more difficult for many normally Republican voters to accept as well.

Giuliani was also at a low ebb in his ratings as mayor in NYC, but was able to take advantage of the 9/11 attacks for a ratings surge. There was also an absurdly handled sexual affair while Giuliani was mayor, which resulted in a laughable situation where his wife wanted him out of the Governor's mansion. And many consider Giuliani a petty topic ruling mayor in NYC, making small time "quality of life" issues like regulation of homeless window washers or strip clubs a main priority. Despite some right wing tough on crime instincts, many Republicans still consider him a RINO(Republican in name only) type Republican which does no good at al in the upcoming Republican primaries in some conservative states such as South Carolina where more moderate Republicans can be easily derailed on the road to the White House.

Whether this former mayor has what it takes to mount a credible campaign for president, which is far different than running for mayor of a large city, remains to be seen. But Giuliani and McCain are no doubt the top two Republican presidential candidates at this point, but Mitt Romney is no doubt shoring up the right wing of the party and the big business community, and certainly is in a very good position to upend both McCain and Giuliani who may split the limited centrist vote among Republican voters.