Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani hasn’t put much effort campaigning in the early nominating contests of Iowa and New Hampshire, but he wants reporters to remember he’s been busy in other states where people already are likely voting.
 
The former New York mayor, seen as a moderate among the Republican contenders because of his support for abortion and gay rights, has largely focused his energies on states like Florida, California and Missouri.
 
For two days now Giuliani’s campaign has sent reporters reminders about early voting for primaries beginning in numerous other states. Florida holds its primary on Jan. 29 while delegate-rich states California and Missouri vote Feb. 5 along with 20 other states.
 
Several states permit voters to cast absentee ballots when they know they cannot make it to the polls on the primary election day. And a handful of states allow broader early voting weeks before the election.
 
“For the record, only 78 delegates will be picked prior to Florida whereas 1,039 delegates will be picked on January 29 and February 5,” Brent Seaborn, Giuliani’s strategy director, said in a memo sent to campaign workers and reporters.
 
“It is important to note that voting HAS ALREADY STARTED in Florida, Missouri, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey and New York - tens of thousands of people will have already cast their ballot by the time you are reading this note,” he said.
 
Giuliani has led national opinion polls but has trailed far behind rivals in Iowa and New Hampshire where he has recently made a late campaign effort.
 
Will the strategy work or be a tree falling in a forest?

– Photo credit: Reuters/Jessica Rinaldi