Former New York Gov. George Pataki, a longshot in his quest for the Republican presidential nomination, ended his candidacy on Tuesday, according to a supporter.
Bruce Breton, former chairman of the Wyndam, N.H., Republican Party and a Pataki backer, confirmed Pataki’s exit from the race.
“He’s out,” said Breton. “I talked to him personally this afternoon and he is going to leave the race.”
Pataki planned an unspecified announcement Tuesday night during an episode of “Chicago Med” on NBC. He was given airtime during the show on network affiliates in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina when he sought equal time under federal election law after Republican front-runner Donald Trump hosted NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.”
Pataki, who served three terms as governor of New York from 1995 until 2006, was never a viable candidate in the crowded Republican presidential field and his exit comes with just over a month until caucus-goers in Iowa kick off voting in the 2016 election. He appeared only in undercard debates and his fundraising totals were sparse since he entered the race last spring.
Pataki had repeatedly explored the possibility of running for president over the years but opted against a run until this year.
From the start, his candidacy faced an uphill climb. The last time he held public office was nearly a decade ago. Moreover, he supports abortion rights in a Republican Party where being anti-abortion is a litmus test for many voters.
His exit was first reported by the Boston Globe.
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