Presidential candidate of Hungarian descent in the USA

George Pataki, former governor of New York State will also compete for the Republican candidate. The 69 year-old politician represents a relatively moderate trend, origo.hu said.

George Pataki, who was the Republican governor of New York State between 1995 and 2007, is the first politician of partly-Hungarian descent who competes for the USA presidency.

In addition to economy, the preservation of nature is also important to him, Pataki said to New York Post.

George Elmer Pataki is a lawyer who graduated at Yale and Columbia University. His political career began from the mayoralty of his hometown, Peekskill to the upper and lower New York State Legislature until the governorship. He won the latter again the Democrat Mario Cuomo, who had 3 gubernatorial cycles.

Pataki’s grandfather came from Aranyosapati, Szabolcs County, and he immigrated with his wife to the USA in 1908. His father, Louis P. Pataki was a postman, volunteer firefighter and farmer. His mother, Margaret Lagana had Italian and Irish ancestors. The politician is married and father of 4 children. He speaks a little Hungarian, but he also speaks Spanish, French and German.

As a governor, he was conservative in fiscal questions, but rather liberal in social issues. He lowered taxes and public spending.

Under his direction, New York became the 7^th safest state from the 6^th most dangerous. He supported the tightening of the rules on gun ownership.

Pataki was pro-choice in the abortion issue and he supported gay rights.

George W. Bush, with whom he studied at Yale, was considering nominating Pataki as Vice-president, but he eventually decided in favor of Dick Cheney.

In 2009, the Republicans asked Pataki to compete for the vacant Senator-seat of Hillary Clinton, who became Secretary of State, but he said no.

based on the article of origo.hu
translated by BA

Source: http://www.origo.hu/