Giuliani Campaign Press Release - Former Massachusetts Republican Party Chairman Endorses Rudy Giuliani for President

The Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee today announced that Jim Rappaport, former Chairman of the Massachusetts Republican Party, has endorsed Mayor Giuliani for President.

"Mayor Giuliani has a strong record of cutting taxes, controlling wasteful spending and improving the quality of life for citizens of New York," said Rappaport. "Rudy also supports using free-market principles to reform and better our health care system – offering a clear contrast with the Democrats in the general election – and he has the leadership skills to make these reforms happen once elected."

"Jim is a respected, conservative voice in Massachusetts Republican politics and will help our organization in the state continue to grow," National Political Director Mark Campbell said.

Rappaport joins a growing list of Bay State Republicans backing Mayor Giuliani's campaign, including former Massachusetts Governor Paul Cellucci, former Massachusetts State Treasurer Joe Malone and three of Massachusetts' five Republican State Senators.

About Jim Rappaport:

Jim Rappaport is a successful attorney and real estate developer. Among his many business ventures, Rappaport was a founder and member of the Board of Directors for Corporate Kids, Inc., a start-up daycare provider, that grew to revenues of over $4 million and over 100 employees before it was sold to Mulberry Child Care Centers in 1995. Jim was also the co-founder of Specialty Hospitals of America, LLC, a company focusing on the ownership and/or management of long-term acute care and specialty hospitals, where he now serves as Chairman.

In 1993, with his brother and father, Jim formed New Boston Fund, Inc., which has raised over $1.1 billion in equity and has completed transactions of over $3.1 billion. Jim currently serves as Chairman of New Boston Fund, Inc.

In 1985, Rappaport was elected Chairman of the Mass Taxpayers Committee, an organization that provided political education for fiscally responsible Massachusetts legislators. In 1991, Rappaport helped organize and became Co-Chairman of LIMITS, a grass-roots movement to establish limits on the number of terms served by incumbent elected officials.

In 1990, Rappaport was the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts, receiving almost one million votes. He was Chairman of the Massachusetts Republican Party and a member of the Republican National Committee from 1992 to 1997. He has been a well-known fund-raiser for Republicans throughout the country, and has served as a regional Chair of the Republican National Committee Finance Committee and was national Finance Chair for Kasich 2000, Congressman John Kasich's Presidential Committee. In 2002, he ran for the Massachusetts Republican nomination for Lt. Governor. Rappaport is heard and read regularly in the media for his political and economic views.

He is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and earned his law degree from Boston University School of Law. Rappaport and his wife, Cecelia, have three children.