Opinion: The Giuliani slide

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Rudy Giuliani’s risky strategy of ignoring the opening acts in the presidential race to concentrate on Florida may still pay off (although the recent polling in the Sunshine State indicates otherwise). But the trend in a series of L.A.Times/Bloomberg national polls underscores the price he’s paid for his unorthodox maneuver.

Giuliani led in all four similar surveys conducted last year when Republican-leaning voters were asked their preferences among the party’s White House candidates. In April, he was backed by 29% of those polled; in June, 27%; in October, 32%.

By early December, though, his decision to focus on Florida -- which reduced his visibility at a time when the main political playing fields were in Iowa and New Hampshire -- began to erode his standing. He still led in a Times/Bloomberg poll, but just barely, with 23%.

Now, in a new survey, he runs fourth, with 15%.

At one time, Giuliani touted himself as the Republican who would have the widest appeal in the most places in the general election. But running a primary campaign so dependent on one state hardly bolstered that argument.

-- Don Frederick