Eyes on 2012, George Pataki Heads Out to Iowa

Submitted by Kevin Derby on August 23, 2011 - 8:35am

Former Gov. George Pataki of New York is heading out to Iowa this weekend, generating buzz that he will enter the already crowded field of candidates battling it out for the Republican presidential nomination.

Pataki will be appearing at an event in Des Moines on Saturday backed by the Polk County Republicans. The former New York governor will be joined by two congressmen already running for the Republican presidential nomination -- Ron Paul of Iowa and Thad McCotter of Michigan.

Pataki has been the subject of presidential and vice presidential buzz before, in 1996, 2000 and 2008. Defeating Democratic icon Mario Cuomo in 1994, Pataki served three terms as governor of the Empire State before deciding not to seek office in 2006. Since then, Pataki has been affiliated with Revere America, a political organization seeking to repeal Barack Obama's federal health-care law. He has also beenactive with No American Debt which has run television ads in both Iowa and New Hampshire.

On Monday, a spokesman for Pataki told CBS News that the former governor was considering entering the Republican race.

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