RNC Political Chief To Head Giuliani's Exploratory Panel

Mayor Giuliani has tapped the political director of the Republican National Committee to head his presidential exploratory committee, making his second national campaign hire in the second week of his battle for early support among top GOP operatives.

Michael DuHaime, 33, headed political operations for the RNC this year after serving as a regional political director for President Bush's re-election campaign in 2004. He also has served as executive director of the state party in New Jersey.

Known for keeping a close circle of advisers during his years as mayor, Mr. Giuliani is expanding his team as he considers a run for the White House. Last week, he selected a former top financial official from the Bush re-election campaign, Sandra Pack, to run the finances of his exploratory committee.

The hiring of Mr. DuHaime comes days after Mr. Giuliani's chief rival for the Republican nomination, Senator McCain of Arizona, met in Manhattan with dozens of party donors from the former mayor's backyard. Some of those backers also have contributed to Mr. Giuliani in the past, including a former finance chairman of Mr. Bush's re-election bid, Lewis Eisenberg. Mr. Eisenberg, a former head of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, is serving as a national co-chairman of Mr. McCain's exploratory committee.

"When we have the most partisan climate that I can remember, John McCain stands alone as someone who can unite and not divide," Mr. Eisenberg said in an interview. He said Messrs. McCain and Giuliani are "two American heroes" and that he gave "deep thought" to his decision, but he said he went with Mr. McCain for his military and foreign policy experience.

Mr. Giuliani is holding his first major fund-raiser in New York on Tuesday, and he is expected to announce more prominent staff hires in the coming weeks.