▁R ut igli ano ▁being ▁the ▁only ▁two ▁candidates ▁to ▁appeal ▁against ▁it . ▁Both ▁were ▁rejected ▁on ▁ 3 ▁August . ▁ ▁All ▁pol ls ▁predicted ▁a ▁clear ▁victory ▁for ▁Vel tr oni ▁in ▁the ▁election , ▁with ▁results ▁r anging ▁from ▁ 6 5 % ▁to ▁ 7 5 % ▁circa . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 6 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Jac opo ▁G . ▁Sch ett ini ▁retired ▁and ▁announced ▁he ▁was ▁moving ▁his ▁support ▁to ▁G aw rons ki , ▁running ▁alongside ▁him ▁for ▁the ▁party ▁leadership . ▁ ▁Accept ed ▁cand ida cies ▁Walter ▁Vel tr oni ▁Walter ▁Vel tr oni ▁was ▁the ▁inc umb ent ▁Mayor ▁of ▁Rome ▁and ▁a ▁former ▁Democr ats ▁of ▁the ▁Left ▁party ▁leader . ▁His ▁candid acy ▁was ▁public ly ▁requested ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁June ▁by ▁inc umb ent ▁Democr ats ▁of ▁the ▁Left ▁leader ▁Pier o ▁F ass ino , ▁who ▁public ly ▁asked ▁Walter ▁Vel tr oni , ▁being ▁suggested ▁by ▁several ▁opinion ▁pol ls ▁suggesting ▁Vel tr oni ▁could ▁potentially ▁win ▁hands ▁down ▁the ▁leadership ▁race . ▁ ▁Vel tr oni ▁officially ▁announced ▁his ▁intention ▁to ▁run ▁at ▁a ▁widely ▁public ized ▁r ally ▁in ▁Tur in ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁June . ▁He ▁ran ▁in ▁a ▁joint ▁ticket ▁with ▁deput y - le ad ership ▁candidate ▁D ario ▁Frances ch ini , ▁O live ▁Tree ▁speaker ▁at ▁the ▁Chamber ▁of ▁Deput ies . ▁ ▁Ros y ▁B indi ▁Ros aria ▁" R os y