Rudy Giuliani on Wednesday defended his chances in the high-stakes Florida Republican presidential race, predicting a wave of support will be evident in the next few days despite current polls that show him slipping in the crucial primary state.

The former New York City mayor has devoted nearly all his time in the Sunshine State as others secured primary victories elsewhere. Now, he has less than a week to turn around a win in Tuesday's primary -- a task that was complicated by John McCain's first-place performances in New Hampshire and South Carolina. Polls averages show the Arizona senator leading by a few points in Florida, with Mitt Romney rising to second place and Giuliani in third, a line-up that jeopardizes Giuliani's outside-the-box strategy of winning Florida and using the last-minute momentum to cruise through Super Tuesday Feb. 5.

Giuliani said Wednesday his campaign is in "high gear," and stressed his plan for stimulating the economy with massive tax cuts and for disaster relief through a new national catastrophe insurance fund.

"I think the reality is we are gaining support. I think you're going to see that over the course of the next three or four days," Giuliani said in Estero, Fla. "Our campaign is now in high gear. I think the issues that we are hitting on are the key ones to the people of Florida ... And I think they want someone who understands how to turn around an economy, which I have done before. And I think they want someone who can lead this country in the terrorists' war against us. As those ideas seep through, and get through, we are going to do very well here."

Giuliani's campaign has said it will pour $8 million into Florida, and has focused on the candidate's own leadership qualities, claiming he's best suited to handle national security threats.

But McCain's skyward arc in the polls threatens this tack. McCain just released a new TV ad in Florida, called "Protect," highlighting his qualifications in fighting "radical Islamic extremism." And he scored the endorsement Wednesday of Gulf War commander Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf.

Click here to see the McCain Florida ad.

In another swipe at Giuliani's leadership image, the International Association of Fire Fighters sent out its first direct mail to Florida voters Wednesday attacking the former mayor's judgment and leadership before and after Sept. 11.

In the mailer, they declare: "Rudy Giuliani isn't qualified to be President. He shamelessly uses the events of 9/11 for his own political gain. The truth is, Giuliani used poor judgment leading up to and on the day of the attacks. He was unprepared to protect New York, and he is unprepared to lead our country."

The mailer -- which includes a photo of Giuliani's back turned -- includes a testimonial quote from the father of a firefighter who died on Sept. 11 who calls Rudy a "coward."

Florida poll averages on RealClearPolitics.com showed McCain with 23.2 percent, Mitt Romney with 20.2 and Giuliani following by a hair with 19.6 percent. Mike Huckabee, who is stressing other Southern states over Florida, had 15.2 percent in the averages, followed by Texas Rep. Ron Paul with 5.8 percent. Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson had been polling around 9 percent, but he dropped his bid Tuesday and it's unclear where his supporters will drift.

Giuliani did pick up the support Wednesday of former Florida Rep. Clay Shaw, who stressed Giuliani's "fiscal principles" in his endorsement.

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, a co-chairman of the Giuliani campaign, told FOX News Wednesday that early voting -- which began Jan. 14, before McCain won South Carolina -- could work to Giuliani's advantage.

"We think that we've got a lot of votes in the bank," he said. "Being behind by a couple of points in some of the poll averages is still a statistical dead heat. We think we are still in the driver's seat in this race ... once we come out of this primary, I think the Giuliani campaign will be in great shape if it wins, and I think we will win it."

FOX News' Mosheh Oinounou contributed to this report.