Pataki Jumps In, Trump May Follow Suit Next Month

Moderate Republican and former New York Gov. George Pataki has announced what The Washington Post drolly calls “a long-shot bid for the presidency.”

Pataki announced his candidacy at an event in Exeter, N.H. and also released a four minute campaign video available here.

The former governor says he is running to “preserve and protect” … “the freedom that has given us the greatest country the world has ever known.”

In his video, Pataki adds, “America has a big decision to make about who we’re going to be and what we’re going to stand for. The system is broken. The question is no longer about what our government should do, but what we should do about our government, about our divided union, about our uncertain future.”

Pataki says his leadership as New York’s governor after 9/11 is a strong selling point for his candidacy.

Meanwhile, business mogul Donald Trump is also in the political news, as sources claim he will make a “major announcement” on June 16. Trump plans to make the announcement at New York City’s Trump Tower and then travel to New Hampshire the following day. While Trump hasn’t officially said he will enter the 2016 presidential sweepstakes, the news today has added to the speculation swirling around him.

The mogul has taken a number of steps that suggest he’s more interested about being a candidate in this cycle. He launched an exploratory committee in March, hired staff in important primary states and told WMUR he’s “very much inclined” to join the increasingly crowded Republican primary.

The news first broke on WMUR-9 in New Hampshire.

WMUR.com has learned that the business executive and reality television personality will make an announcement at the Trump Tower in Manhattan on June 16, and he plans to return to the first-primary state the following day.

A source close to Trump confirmed the dates and said a “major” announcement by Trump will be forthcoming, but stopped short of saying outright that Trump will announce his candidacy for president at that time.