Politics

Hillary, Rudy and Rick?

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

February 16, 2000 / 5:20 PM EST / CBS

From the start, this has been a heavyweight fight: First lady Hillary Clinton versus New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. But now there may be another contender, reports CBS News Correspondent Diana Olick.

"We are looking at some of the most recent independent polls which are suggesting that a majority of New York voters would like to have somebody else in the race," said New York Rep. Rick Lazio.

Lazio is a pro-choice, four-term Republican congressman, assistant majority leader and member of the House banking committee. Last fall, Republicans asked him to bow out of the Senate race in favor of the man he calls a celebrity candidate, Mayor Guiliani.

"You are not a celebrity. How could you win against Hillary Clinton?" Lazio was asked.

"I think you've got to ask New Yorkers if they want entertainment or they want good government," he said.

Giuliani is famous for cleaning up New York City, but Lazio notes he is not well-known, nor well-liked outside the city. Statewide, his sometimes vindictive personality and political tactics are infamous.

"I'm just a really nice guy with a great sense of humor. I get along with everyone," Giulian has said.

But he doesn't get along with New York's Conservative Party over differences on abortion. No Republican in 25 years has won statewide office without that endorsement. This month, that party's leader asked Lazio to get back in the race.

"It is an enormous challenge, but it's a challenge for the New York public as much as for me," Lazio said. "This is a tough decision for me because I have to decide with my heart and my head . If I had to make this decision just with my heart, I'd already be running."

Lazio says he'd run a positive campaign and says he's watching John McCain very closely. If the reform-minded underdog can win South Carolina, Lazio says it could tip the balance between his head and his heart.