Mayor Giuliani’s withdrawal from the Senate race is good news for two very different political parties – the Liberals and Conservatives.
On the Conservative side, it means the next Republican candidate for Senate will probably receive that party’s support – something Giuliani didn’t have.
Conservative Party boss Mike Long said Giuliani quitting the race now gives his small but influential party the chance to unite on a candidate with the Republicans.
Conservative Party support – most likely for Rep. Rick Lazio (R-L.I.), the favorite among top Republicans – could be worth up to 350,000 extra votes.
“With Rudy out of the race, we have a better opportunity to defeat Hillary Clinton,” said Long, who had refused to endorse Giuliani because of his support for partial-birth abortion.
“But we have to make sure there’s not a war here.”
The war could come from former Westchester congressman Joe DioGuardi, who has announced he is seeking the Conservative endorsement.
“I’m definitely in this race till the end,” DioGuardi said. “This is the beginning, not the end.”
But GOP officials are expected to use their power to make sure Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Republican opponent also is endorsed by the Conservative Party – and may try to force DioGuardi to the sidelines.
“It’s going to be a top-down decision,” said one Republican source.
“With Rudy getting out of the race, it’s almost a pre-condition that the candidate is going to have to have the backing of both the Republican and Conservative parties. Otherwise, forget it.”
The Conservatives’ state convention is June 3, when the picture may be clearer.
“This is going to be complicated, it won’t happen overnight,” Long said.
“The problem Rudy created for 14 months won’t be solved in 14 hours.”
Lazio, who opposes partial-birth abortion, is a darling among Conservatives and sat on the dais at Wednesday’s 500-person Conservative Party gala dinner at the Sheraton Hotel in Manhattan.
Former Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, who is still influential in GOP and Conservative circles, squired Lazio around and was singing the congressman’s praises, saying he would make a very strong candidate.
On the Liberal side, Giuliani’s move may free party boss Ray Harding to throw his 95,000-member party’s endorsement to the first lady.
Harding, a close friend of the mayor, was expected to back Giuliani as a favor, but now he could line up behind Clinton, as some members of the Liberal Party had wished all along.
Harding could not be reached for comment.