Former NY Gov. George Pataki "seriously considering" 2012 presidential bid
Former New York Governor George Pataki is "seriously considering" joining 2012's field of Republican presidential contenders, his spokesman David Catalfamo told Hotsheet on Monday.
Catalfamo said the three-term Republican governor, who served from 1995-2006, was "deeply disappointed by the failure of leadership by President Obama on the debt issue and in the lack of serious solutions being offered by the current Republican field."
"The governor is seriously considering getting into the race," Catalfamo said.
Pataki faces an uphill battle for the nomination: The former governor lacks the name recognition of other prominent New York politicians - namely former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is also said to be considering a bid - and would need to quickly build up the fundraising infrastructures other competitors established months ago.
Moreover, some of Pataki's social positions may be decidedly liberal for the Republican 2012 field: As the New York Daily News put it , "he's pro-choice, pro-union and pro-gay rights, so former Gov. George Pataki's plan to possibly join the red-meat pack vying for the GOP presidential nod drew puzzled looks Sunday."
Thomas Kirwan, a Republican Assemblyman from New York, also questioned Pataki's credibility as a strong Republican candidate.
"Pataki the first two years was great, then we went on a spending binge," Kirwan told the Daily News, referring to the former governor's tenure. "The federal debt run-up was rivaled only by what we did in New York under George Pataki."
