Pundits and journalists continue to speculate about whether or not conservative Republicans will get strongly behind a Rudy Giuliani presidential run. As it stands right now, according to a recent Gallup survey, for the great majority of Republicans, the heuristics of likability, party loyalty, and Rudy's national security message appear to trump the Mayor's stands on abortion and gay rights. Yet for a strongly committed conservative minority, these issues do raise objections.
In the Oct. 12-14 poll, 61% of Republicans say Giuliani's views on abortion and gay rights either make no difference in whether they will vote for him for president, or make them more likely to vote for him. Twenty-eight percent say Giuliani's views make them more likely to vote against him, including 17% who say "much more likely."