It seems like quite a while ago, but earlier this year, Rudy Giuliani actually intended to be a force in the Iowa caucuses. He campaigned frequently in the state, held a lot of town-hall meetings, and through around June, actually lead in Iowa polls.

Then, of course, Republicans got a good look at the guy, heard what he had to say, learned about Giuliani’s background, and dropped him like a hot potato. His campaign pulled out of the Ames straw poll, and Giuliani’s support in the state has been in free-fall ever since.

Which leads, of course, to New Hampshire, where Giuliani expected to be a serious player. Like Iowa, the former mayor spent quite a bit of time in the Granite State, and in the early fall, was a close second in the polls. Then, a funny thing happened. (via Kos)

Rudolph Giuliani’s decision to largely abandon the early voting state of New Hampshire and concentrate his efforts on the Florida primary three weeks later reflects an uncomfortable truth for the former New York mayor: The more he campaigned in the Granite State and the more he spent on advertising there, the more his poll numbers dropped.

It’s striking to see the trend-lines. In just Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and nationally, Giuliani’s support, steady most of the year, dropped sharply a couple of months ago, and shows no signs of recovering.

Giuliani just doesn’t wear well over time.