Former New York Gov. George Pataki endorsed John Kasich Thursday for president in the Empire State's GOP primary on Tuesday, saying that he feared that native son Donald Trump would "drive the Republican Party off a cliff."
"I thought about it long and hard," Pataki, who quit the 2016 race in December, said in announcing his decision to Greta Van Susteren on Fox News. "The Republicans have to win.
"I do not believe Hillary Clinton is fit to be president of the United States," he added. "John Kasich is the candidate who doesn't just beat Hillary Clinton, he trounces her and will help us to regain Washington."
Another reason for backing the Ohio governor, Pataki said, was that "once we win, you have to be able to govern.
"Our country is divided not because of the people but because of the politicians. John Kasich has a history of bringing people together and governing successfully.
"He will win this race if he is our nominee," Pataki said. "If he gets that chance, he will be an excellent president who moves America forward together."
The former governor, who spent two terms in the Statehouse in Albany, made no mention of Ted Cruz in his announcement — though he ripped Trump extensively.
"I don't think Donald Trump should be president of the United States. I don't think he is going to be president of the United States.
"If he is our nominee, I fear he is going to drive the Republican Party off a cliff," Pataki said.
The developer and the former governor traded heavy barbs throughout the campaign, which Pataki had entered last May. Trump's effort kicked off the following month.
In September, for instance,
Pataki told Newsmax TV's "The Steve Malzberg Show" that Trump made "great theater because he says outrageous things" — and at other times ripped the billionaire for his demeaning comments about former rival Carly Fiorina and women in general.
He also vowed to "Newsmax Prime" host J.D. Hayworth that he would not vote for Trump, despite signing a pledge with Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus to support the eventual nominee.
The two have also hit each other on Twitter, with Pataki once calling Trump "unfit to be president" and the front-runner retorting that the former governor did a "terrible" job while in office.
Pataki responded to that tweet by labeling Trump as "serially bankrupt."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.