But Giuliani is likely to run on his record of reducing overall crime by 50 percent and murder by 70 percent in New York City, his attempts to reform public schools, his overhaul of city welfare policies and his campaign to make New York a more pleasant city. The potential problem for Giuliani is that some view all of his stated accomplishments as big liabilities. First there was Abner Louima, a Haitian immigrant who was sexually assaulted and tortured in an NYPD restroom. Then there was Amadou Diallo, an unarmed West African immigrant who was shot to death by four cops. But Duffy says this may not cripple Giuliani, especially if he first must fight a GOP primary campaign.
Republicans tend to favor a candidate who is very tough on crime.
A Family Fight Lurks for Rudy Standing in the way of Rudolph Giuliani's ambition to sit in the Senate is someone other than first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. Giuliani's biggest political concern right now is the key member of the New York Republican establishment. The problem for the New York mayor is that he and Republican Gov. George Pataki loathe each other. And Pataki, who considered running for the Senate himself, is said to be nurturing another Republican to challenge Giuliani. Lazio is viewed as more conservative than Giuliani and, so far, he's trying to show that he's as much of a fighter.