In her announcement today, Pirro will indicate she is not running for re-election so that she can "seek a higher office," an insider told NewsMax. Pirro will not explicitly mention Hillary Clinton or a Senate bid.

A source familiar with Pirro's inner circle, however, tells NewsMax that she definitely believes Hillary is vulnerable and that she intends to run against Sen. Clinton next year.

With less than 18 months to go before the 2006 election, only Edward Cox - a prominent attorney and son-in-law to the late President Richard Nixon - has announced his intention to challenge Hillary Clinton.

Cox has already organized a campaign staff and has begun fund raising for his bid.

However, a top New York insider says that Pirro has already received the tacit support of Gov. George Pataki, who had been backing Cox.

The national Republican committee and White House may have played a role in persuading Pirro to run.

Pirro's challenge against Clinton may be an uphill battle.

Sen. Clinton's approval rating among New York voters approaches 70 percent in recent polls.

But 60 percent of her supporters also say they want her to pledge not to run for president in 2008 - something Clinton has so far been unwilling to do.

A frequent television commentator, Mrs. Pirro began her career in law enforcement as a prosecutor in Westchester more than 25 years ago, according to an online biography.

In 1978, she headed the county's first domestic violence unit, one of only four in the nation, and was later elected the first woman jurist to sit on the Westchester County Court bench.

Mrs. Pirro's High Technology Crimes unit has won plaudits nationwide for its work against pedophiles and child pornographers who use the Internet to prey on children.

Editor's note:

http://www.newsmax.com/adv/usjf/ Read Peter Paul's Urgent Letter on Hillary Clinton

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