An adviser to Tom Golisano--who said Golisano is willing to spend at least $5 million on State Senate races this year--is taking the news that Rudy Giuliani is launching a P.A.C. in stride. (The former mayor's fund-raising committee will contribute mainly to State Senate Republicans, who would like to maintain their very narrow majority.)

“Clearly it’s his right to do what he believes and I think this will be quite a critical election,” Golisano adviser Steve Pigeon told me. “I think there will be some candidates we support in common and others we don’t.  But he [Giuliani] clearly has a right to do it. And obviously it shows his continued interest in New York politics.”

Giuliani aide Tony Carbonetti, once Giuliani's chief political adviser and a partner in the former mayor's consulting firm, confirmed earlier  that Giuliani discussed a governor’s run with state Republican Party chair Joe Mondello in June. A message left at Carbonetti’s office this morning was not immediately returned.

When I asked if Giuliani could raise enough money to really help Republicans, Pigeon said, “He’s been an effective fund-raiser. There’s no reason not to believe that will continue.” But, he added, “I don’t think this changes or alters what we do in either way.”