Rick Lazio, the former New York congressman, was last seen in 2000 during his unsuccessful run for Senate against Hillary Clinton. A decade later, he's running for governor, and he sat down with RCP in Washington Thursday to discuss the race, New York and all things politics -- including the potential run for Senate by former congressman Harold Ford Jr.

Lazio was recently asked by GOP insiders in the state to consider switching to the Senate race -- Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, rumored to likely run for governor, has a big lead in early polls, and appointed Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand looks potentially vulnerable. He said no, but Ford, his old friend from Washington, is considering challenging Gillibrand in the Democratic primary.

"On a personal level, I think Harold Ford is a really good guy. I like him, he's down to earth, got a great sense of humor. We got along very well in Congress," said Lazio.

"My guess is he won't have an easy time in the Democratic primary in New York. It's an easier state in the general election than Tennessee obviously. But," he continued, "I think it's going to be an adverse year for Democrats in general. This cycle is going to be a very tough cycle. And I just think it's going to be – it won't be an easy primary if he decides to get into it."

This morning on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Ford knocked down a recent rumor that he would consider running as an independent, saying if he ran, it would only be as a Democrat.

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