ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – A top political supporter of Republican Rudolph Giuliani said Monday “there is no question in my mind” the former New York City mayor would like to run for president, but that running for governor remains an option.

Guy Molinari, a former congressman and former Staten Island borough president, cautioned that his opinions were based not on direct conversations with Giuliani, but on talks with other advisers and supporters of the mayor.

Molinari said it was evident that Republican Gov. George Pataki is also eyeing a run for the White House in 2008.

“If you talk to Pataki’s people, to Rudy’s people, you will get the very distinct impression they are seriously looking at it,” the Republican said.

Molinari’s comments came the same day the New York Post, quoting unidentified Republican sources, reported that Giuliani was planning a summit of his top advisers within a month to discuss his political future, and has not ruled out a run for governor even though his main interest is the presidency.

Despite Molinari’s comments and the Post report, Giuliani has shown no public interest, as yet, in running for governor. Sunny Mindel, a spokeswoman for Giuliani, wouldn’t comment Monday on the Post report.

Molinari said he knew of no such summit meeting of Giuliani advisers and would hope to be included if there was such a gathering.

There was no immediate comment from Pataki.

Molinari said Giuliani and Pataki are realistic enough to know that winning the GOP presidential nomination would be tough for any candidate who supports abortion and gay rights, and backs gun-control measures, as they both do.

Giuliani, according to Molinari, might have the best shot.

“With anybody else, I’d say they don’t have a shot at it,” he said. “But Rudy, because of his celebrity status and the fact he’s been all over the country campaigning for people, has special chits.”

Molinari said there was also a chance Giuliani might run for governor next year if Pataki does not seek a fourth term. Pataki has said he will decide later this year, but Molinari said he does not believe the governor will seek re-election given polling that shows him trailing far behind Democrat Eliot Spitzer, the state attorney general who has already said he is running for governor.

“I don’t think George Pataki would want to go out a loser,” Molinari said.

Asked if Giuliani wanted to run for governor, Molinari said: “He certainly did. Whether anything has changed in the last year or so, I don’t know.”

“Having a Giuliani-Spitzer race would be fascinating and a lot of us would pay to see that,” the Giuliani loyalist said. “That’s certainly an option.”

“Realistically, if he’s going to go for governor, he has to get out there pretty soon,” Molinari added. “Spitzer is out there raising a lot of money and doing his thing all over the state. You just can’t give a candidate like him too much leeway.”