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PRESIDENCY 2000:



GEORGE E. PATAKI
(Republican - New York)

BIOGRAPHICAL FACTS:

POLITICAL: Governor, 1995-present [elected 1994 (48%), re-elected 1998 (54%)]. Founder & Chair, 21st Century Freedom PAC, 1999-present. State Senator, 1992-95. State Assemblyman, 1985-92. Mayor of Peekskill, 1981-84.

PROFESSIONAL: Practicing Attorney, 1970-94.

EDUCATION: B.A., Yale University, 1967. J.D., Columbia Law School, 1970.

PERSONAL: Born June 24, 1945 in Peekskill, New York. Married to Elizabeth "Libby" Rowland Pataki. Four children. Roman Catholic.

LINKS:

Governor George Pataki - Governor's Office.
The Governor - Negative.
The Pataki Report - Negative.

ANALYSIS:

Often described as cautious, generally conservative and unexciting -- Pataki has surprised the pundits before. As a State Pataki - 1994Senator from the Hudson Valley, Pataki emerged from relative obscurity to defeat liberal Democratic incumbent Governor Mario Cuomo in a major upset in 1994. As Governor, Pataki pushed through significant tax and spending cuts and successfully restored the death penalty in New York. Religious Right activists in the GOP would not likely be satisfied with Pataki's social moderate and pro-choice views. Pataki's friends have floated the Presidential trial balloon for 2000 -- and Pataki's creation of a federal PAC in January 1999 have done nothing to quelch those rumors. The 1998 re-election defeats of close Pataki allies US Senator Al D'Amato and Attorney General Dennis Vacco -- demonstrating an inability to deliver votes within his own state to his own runningmates -- have seriously dimmed his Presidential chances. Pataki's ongoing, bitter feud with New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) -- Giuliani endorsed Cuomo over Pataki in 1994 and Pataki is trying to find a GOP opponent for Giuliani in the 2000 US Senate primary -- will likely split Pataki's GOP base of support in his home state. Still, Pataki continues to work on increasing his national visibility and flirting with a P2000 bid. Pataki may be the only unannounced contender who could enter rather late and still be seen as somewhat viable. Further, he would probably be able to create a base of support among GOP moderates as the only clearly pro-choice GOP hopeful challenging a large pack of pro-life rivals.

PATAKI IS ENDORSED BY:
(Partial Listing)

Not Applicable - Not Yet a Candidate for President.

THE GEORGE PATAKI LIBRARY:

Pataki: An Autobiography by George Pataki (1998). The New York Times accurately wrote that "this book reads like a sunny campaign autobiography for whatever office he might be running for now or in the future." Clearly, Pataki intended his autobiography to play a role in introducing him to a larger national audience of voters. The book covers his career as a self-made man who came from farm roots, his rise in politics starting with his election as the youngest mayor in his town's history, his unexpected victory over liberal icon Mario Cuomo in 1994, his problems with Rudy Giuliani, his successes as governor, etc. However, except for writing briefly about using marijuana while in college, this is largely an uncritical look at his life to date. Still, it is a good framework to better understand Pataki's politics. Follow the link to read more about the book. List: $24.95. Your Price: $17.47 (You Save 30%).

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This page was last updated on April 5, 1999