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Next year's statewide ballot won't have Rudolph Giuliani's name on it, not for U.S. Senate or for governor – which the former mayor says should fall to former Long Island Congressman Rick Lazio.

The announcement was expected by many, but still carried a heavy significance as the apparent bookend to 20 years of Giuliani seeking elected office.

He said he's not ruling anything out, but Giuliani would be 68 during the next presidential election if he wanted to avenge his disastrous performance last year.

Giuliani says he's staying out of politics next year to tend to his growing and lucrative businesses. Duly on message, he shrugged off suggestions it's anything else – from new questions about disgraced former police commissioner Bernard Kerik, to the million-dollar debt he is still paying off from his presidential run.

"I'm having a good time, I'm enjoying myself in both of my endeavors, Bracewell & Giuliani and Giuliani Partners," he told reporters at the announcement. "This would have been an interesting thing to do but it really would have been impossible."

As for Lazio, Giuliani's early backing helps scare off potential primary rivals, leaving him months to zero in on replacing Governor David Paterson atop state government.

But there may be a hitch to those plans, as it may not be Paterson who Lazio ultimately faces. It could be state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who is trouncing them both in the polls.

The former congressman didn't sound eager to have the former governor's son join the field, instead continuing a string of compliments about Paterson, who polls suggest would be easier to beat.

"He deserves more support than he's been getting from people in his own party, in particular from the leadership of the legislature, and I would add from the attorney general as well," Lazio said of Paterson.

Republicans are even more lacking for the U.S. Senate race, without a big-ticket name to seize on voter discontent and challenge appointed Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand.

"There'll be candidates coming out, we'll encourage them to get out there and put their names forward," said New York State Republican Chairman Ed Cox. "I think this is going to be a great year for Republicans because of the mess in Washington and the mess in Albany, which is the complete responsibility of the Democrats."

And Gillibrand may have trouble getting through a primary. Though well-backed and well-funded, other Democrats are eyeing taking her on, including failed mayoral candidate Bill Thompson.