George Pataki chose to announce his Presidential bid, not from New York, where he served as Governor for three terms, but from Exeter Town Hall in New Hampshire, a state he clearly sees as critically important to his long shot path to victory.
"Government has grown too big, too powerful, too expensive and too intrusive," Pataki said.
Pataki touts the Republican party line. He said, "I'd repeal laws like Obamacare and end Common Core."
He also rails against the left wing quipping, "It seems like liberals have so much compassion for the poor that they keep creating more of them."
But he differs from many of the more conservative candidates in the GOP race. He is a supporter of abortion rights and has pushed for protections for gays and lesbians.
He is promoting himself as the candidate with a proven record of leadership who can work across the aisle to help middle Americans, not afraid to take a swipe at the Democratic frontrunner.
"We are the party of the middle class. Unless, by middle class, they mean someone who left the White House "dead broke" and 10 years later had 100 million dollars," Pataki said.
When asked why he was making the announcement in New Hampshire, Pataki said "Well, obviously, NH is very important, it's the first primary. And I love NH, in part because so much of it is retail politics."
Former Salem State Rep. David Dalrymple said, "I hope that the rest of the country will wake up and listen to what he has to say."
Pataki drew a large crowd but many came from New York. People who wanted to share his record of serving three terms as Governor.
Roman Tallaj, one of the many Hispanics who made the trip said, "Governor Pataki will be a President for anybody. Again, No colors, no ethnicity, just a President for anybody."
John Cahill, Pataki's business partner and former Chief of Staff said, "He's proven he can win elections.
He's proven he can win democrats and independents over, he's proven he can govern effectively, nobody in the race can say that"
