Reaching Right

Rudy Giuliani is pro-choice. He supports gay rights. He is in favor of gun control and liberal immigration laws. These are not popular views among Republicans.

But Giuliani has been giving money to Republican candidates whose views on these issues he has long opposed.

Why?

Giuliani knows he needs the support of the far right to have a shot at winning the presidential nomination in 2008. By contributing to socially conservative candidates, he hopes the favor will be returned in the form of support in two years.

“He is trying to smooth the corners that some conservatives might see in his candidacy,” said Jim Barnes, presidential elections reporter for The National Journal. “Giuliani has incredible name identification and is a very popular figure in the Republican party, but he runs counter to Republicans on a number of important issues.”

Since his mayoral term ended, Giuliani has remained quiet when it comes to his views on these issues. But, the opinions he espoused as mayor will not likely be forgotten over the next two years.

So even though the former mayor of New York is strongly pro-choice, he has been contributing to candidates who are long-time pro-lifers. For example, Ohio Senate candidate Mike DeWine has regularly voted along pro-life lines in years past. NARAL, a pro-choice advocacy group that tracks Congressional votes on abortion-related legislation, gave DeWine a zero percent rating indicating a staunch pro-life stance.

Nevertheless, Giuliani’s political action committee, Solutions America, contributed $5,000 to DeWine’s campaign this year. Giuliani also spent two days in October campaigning for DeWine in Ohio. A swing state in 2004, Ohio will be crucial to the Republicans in 2008.

Other pro-lifers who have received contributions from Solutions America include Arizona senator Jon Kyl ($10,000), Minnesota senate candidate Mark Kennedy ($10,000) and Missouri senator Jim Talent ($5,000).

Then there’s Michigan where a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage was key in turning out Republican voters in the 2004 election. Senate candidate Michael Bouchard is an opponent of gay marriage in this swing state.

Giuliani, on the other hand, signed landmark legislation while mayor that made all registered domestic partners equal to married spouses. In addition, The New York Daily News reported that he moved in with a gay couple after the end of his second marriage in 2000. Still, Solutions America contributed $10,000 to Bouchard’s campaign during 2006. The PAC also gave $5,000 each to South Carolina congressmen Joe Wilson, Dennis Hastert of Illinois and Texas senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. All three voted in 2004 to amend the constitution to ban gay marriage.

Solutions America also made a $10,000 contribution to the Alabama Republican Party in October and in recent months contributed $5,000 to Gov. Robert Riley. Riley is a proponent of using state troopers to track down illegal immigrants. As mayor, Giuliani fought to protect illegal immigrants from arrest when they tried to send their children to school, use a hospital or call the police.

Mississippi senator Trent Lott is another Republican with a restrictionist stance against illegal immigrants. In May, Lott voted against passing a guest worker program. Had this bill passed, illegal immigrants who have worked in the country for more than five years would have been given permanent resident status. On the flipside, Giuliani has advocated for a path to legal status for illegal immigrants already in the country. Lott received $5,000 from Solutions America.

As a strong supporter of tighter gun control, Giuliani filed lawsuits against 26 U.S. handgun manufacturers in June 2000. He was seeking compensation for New Yorkers shot by illegal guns.

Giuliani’s views on gun control, however, have not stopped him from contributing $5,000 to Montana Senator Conrad Burns or Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum. Senator Burns, an outspoken advocate for gun rights, has voted in the past to prohibit the very lawsuits that Giuliani filed in 2000. Earlier this year, Santorum reminded voters that he was endorsed by the National Rifle Association as he campaigned around Pennsylvania.

“If the Republicans take a beating on Tuesday, some people might start thinking ‘Okay, how about a different model for the Republican candidate,’” Jim Barnes said. “Giuliani might be that new model.”

--Mark Wellborn and Karen Tee