George Elmer Pataki was the 53rd Governor of New York, serving from January 1995 until December 2006. He is a member of the Republican Party. Pataki is sometimes mentioned as a challenger for the 2008 Republican Presidential Nomination.
Pataki first won elective office in 1981, as mayor of the Westchester County city of Peekskill. From 1985 to 1992, he represented a state Assembly district that included parts of Westchester, Putnam and Duchess counties. In 1992, Pataki beat incumbent Republican State Senator Mary Goodhue in a primary and served one term before running for Governor.
Source: Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Pataki