Former New York Gov. George Pataki appears poised to enter the race for the 2012 Republican nomination for president, with an announcement scheduled this weekend in Iowa.
Pataki on Monday evening became the third candidate confirming his attendance at this Saturday’s Polk County Republican Picnic and Road to the White House 2012 Presidential Forum.
“We just got confirmation that Governor George Pataki is also attending and may have a major announcement,” Darrell Kearney, senior finance officer for the Polk County Republicans, told IowaPolitics.com.
Pataki was last in Iowa a month ago. During that visit, he told IowaPolitics.com that he was still considering a run for president and was disappointed that Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels isn’t running. He also said that if he decided to run, he would be in Iowa a lot and make Iowa “an important focus.”
As to when he’d make a decision, Pataki said July 22, “I know it has to be soon.”
Rep. Ron Paul, R-TX, and Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, R-MI, have also confirmed their attendance at Saturday’s event, which will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. at Jalapeño Pete’s at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Pataki, who served as New York’s governor for three consecutive terms, has spent his two most recent visits to Iowa advocating against the nation’s debt.
He’s been serving as the honorary chairman of No American Debt, a 501(c)4 nonprofit that seeks to advance the national dialog about America’s debt.
Pataki said Iowa caucus-goers should listen carefully to the presidential candidates because America is at a turning point and the 2012 election isn’t just about one election, but about the future of the country. He said while it’s fine for a candidate to say things, a president must have the ability to design and implement an action plan and the leadership to get results.
“I really think a lot of that turns on this election,” said Pataki, who also flirted with a run for president in 2008. “I just know that I have a passion about this country and the need to change its directions. I’ve had the privilege in New York for 12 years, to have had the ability to lead my state in a different and better direction.”
Lynn Campbell covers politics and government for IowaPolitics.com, which is owned by the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity.
