[caption id="attachment_71323" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Commissioner Ray Kelly."]
Ray Kelly as Republican candidate for New York mayor in 2013? It's sounding like it based on reports in recent days including one in the New York Post which stated that "top state and city Republicans, backed by some of Manhattan's wealthiest financiers, began last week preparing the legal paperwork, strategy documents and a fund-raising network that will enable Police Commissioner Ray Kelly to run for mayor."
Reported the Post: "Former state GOP Chairman William Powers, a key figure in the election of Rudy Giuliani as mayor in 1993, is leading the effort, with the backing of '10 to 15 finance people and others who care about the city's future,'" this according to a source close to the preparations.
The Post reported that the source said a prominent election lawyer was hired last week to "get the paperwork ready" for Kelly to run for mayor next year.
If Kelly runs on the GOP line he is sure to have an easy passage to the party's candidacy. The Democratic field is a lot more crowded but City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is seen as the most likely Democratic choice, so leading to an Irish race for Gracie Mansion.
