Former New York Gov. George Pataki, the latest in what is expected to be a crowded GOP presidential field, tells
Newsmax TV he can take the party's message to people who don't typically vote Republican.
Pataki told "Hard Line" host Ed Berliner on Thursday, hours after announcing his White House bid, that his three successful runs for governor of a blue state show he can have wide appeal.
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"I can appeal to independents, to conservative Democrats, to moderates, to ethnic and minority groups that generally don't vote Republican," he said. "That's what you need to do, not change your message, not distort your philosophy, but make your ideas relevant to people beyond the core Republican vote."
Though many observers give him no chance, Pataki said he's faced uphill battles before.
"I remember when I ran for governor the first time, they said I had less than no chance," he said. "I was this unknown legislator from Peekskill, New York, who never raised a lot of money, running as a conservative Republican in deep blue New York against Mario Cuomo, the liberal icon."
Washington is too big, too intrusive and too expensive, Pataki said, adding that he cut government in New York, so he already knows how to do it.
"When I ran for governor of New York we had that same problem, and when I left we had dramatically changed the state," he said. He reduced the size of New York state government by 15 percent and cut taxes more than the other 49 states combined, he said.
Democrats pretend they are the party of the middle class, but Republicans really are, he said.
"We are the party of jobs, we are the party of opportunity," he said. "They are the party of politicians and privilege."
Pataki said that if he can win the nomination, he can beat the expected Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
But he admits fundraising will be tough. Much of the field consists of the more conservative wing, while former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is drawing a lot of cash from the party establishment.
Pataki, instead, is making his mark in New Hampshire "retail politics" where he can sit across a pizza table from someone and have a conversation.
Social media, he said, is also a great equalizer in politics.
"You can tweet, you can do YouTube, you can be on Facebook, and social media," he said. "And thank God that this has opened doors for people who have ideas, but not a lot of money."
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