Republicans push Novello to run against Clinton

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
ALBANY, N.Y. -- REPUBLICANS CLOSE TO NEW YORK GOV. GEORGE PATAKI ARE TRYING TO RECRUIT STATE HEALTH COMMISSIONER ANTONIA NOVELLO TO RUN AGAINST SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, SOURCES TOLD THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS.
NOVELLO, A HIGH-PROFILE LATINA WHO WAS U.S. SURGEON GENERAL DURING THE FIRST BUSH ADMINISTRATION, HAS A STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF FEDERAL POLICIES, PARTICULARLY HEALTH CARE, AND WOULD BE IN GOOD POSITION TO BATTLE CLINTON ON THOSE ISSUES, THE INSIDERS SAID.
A NATIVE OF FAJARDO, PUERTO RICO, NOVELLO, 61, WAS ON VACATION AND COULD NOT BE REACHED FOR COMMENT. SOURCES SAID SHE WAS WAITING FOR THE DUST TO SETTLE FROM JEANINE PIRRO'S WITHDRAWAL FROM THE RACE LAST WEEK.
"ANY RACE WITH SEN. CLINTON IN IT WILL GET HUGE NATIONAL ATTENTION, AND THAT COULD TEMPT NOVELLO, WHO HAS A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN HERSELF," SAID ONE REPUBLICAN OPERATIVE.
NO COMMENT
NOVELLO'S SPOKESMAN ROB KENNY DID NOT CONFIRM OR DENY THE EFFORTS TO GET HER TO RUN. "AT THIS TIME WE CANNOT COMMENT ON ANY POLITICAL SPECULATION," KENNY SAID.
PATAKI AND TOP GOP OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN COOL TO THE CANDIDACY OF REPUBLICAN JOHN SPENCER, THE FORMER YONKERS MAYOR WHO UNTIL LAST WEEK HAD BEEN IN PIRRO'S SHADOW.
TOLD ABOUT THE NEW GOP INTEREST IN NOVELLO, SPENCER SAID, "THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT, AND I'M STILL RUNNING."
ONE BENEFIT FROM A NOVELLO CANDIDACY, GOP INSIDERS SAID, IS THAT IT COULD HELP THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WITH HISPANIC VOTERS, WHO HAVE BEEN SOLIDLY BEHIND CLINTON.
ANYONE SERIOUS ABOUT LAUNCHING A RUN AGAINST CLINTON WILL HAVE TO DO IT VERY SOON, SAID MARIST COLLEGE POLLSTER LEE MIRINGOFF.
"THE CLOCK IS TICKING, AND FUND RAISING WILL HAVE TO START ALMOST IMMEDIATELY," MIRINGOFF SAID.