New York Mayor Mr Rudolph Giuliani has endorsed his fellow Republican, mayoral candidate Mr Michael Bloomberg, as the person to lead the city after the deadly attacks on the World Trade Center last month.
"I'm very, very confident the city would be in absolutely excellent hands in the hands of Mike Bloomberg," said Mr Giuliani, who is finishing up his second term as mayor and is barred from serving three in a row.
Running against New York public advocate Mr Mark Green, a Democrat, Mr Bloomberg is aiming to become the next mayor of a city that elected just three Republicans in the 20th century.
A media mogul with no government experience, he has spent more than $40 million of his own money in the weeks leading up to the November 6th election, blanketing television and radio stations with ads.
There was never much doubt about whom Giuliani would endorse, although some commentators were surprised at how long it took him to do it.
"I was ready to endorse Mike the day after the (Sept. 25) primary, the mayor said on Saturday. The reason I didn't was because of all the things that are going on. I've been very busy in the last couple of weeks."
Mr Bloomberg's campaign is hoping that the backing of Giuliani - widely acclaimed for leadership in the crisis that began on September 11th will sway voters in a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans 5-1.