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A top strategist for former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani acknowledged in a memo Friday that the race for the GOP presidential nomination has been tightening and will continue to tighten over the summer. But he maintained that Giuliani’s leadership and issue positions make him the top candidate. Giuliani Strategy Director Brent Seaborn wrote in the memo that former Sen. Fred Thompson’s (R-Tenn.) likely entry into the Republican field makes for a four-candidate top tier and will make things crowded at the top of the polls. He also cites an ABC/Washington Post poll that shows Giuliani as the leader of the field when voters are asked who is “closest to you on the issues.” Questions about Giuliani’s viability among the conservative base as a pro-abortion rights and pro-gun control candidate have dogged his front-running campaign early in the election. While not explicitly mentioning the social issues, the memo makes the case that more Republicans agree with Giuliani than pundits think. “Mayor Giuliani’s support is based on a broad and deep understanding of his record and optimistic vision for America,” Seaborn wrote. Seaborn also wrote that the mayor is the only GOP candidate who can bring the general-election fight to Democratic states like New York, New Jersey and California - a nod to his time as mayor of a heavily Democratic city. Seaborn also says Giuliani has led in 81 of 84 national GOP polls this year and has led Democratic front-runner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) head to head in 34 of 41 national polls. But the nationwide success has not necessarily transferred to front-runner status in early states. Seaborn assures that Giuliani has still been competitive in those states “despite millions of dollars having been spent on TV by other campaigns,” and that the campaign is optimistic about the Florida primary, which will be held Jan. 29. |
