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Former New York governor Pataki quits Republican presidential race

Xinhua, December 30, 2015 Adjust font size:

Former New York governor George Pataki announced Tuesday that he is suspending his campaign to get the Republican Party's nomination for the 2016 White House race.

Pataki made the announcement in a prime-time TV ad aired Tuesday night in the early-voting states of New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina.

"While tonight is the end of my journey for the White House as I suspend my campaign for president, I'm confident we can elect the right person," said Pataki, who served as New York governor from 1995 to 2006.

Pataki, 70, made the decision apparently as a result of the continued low support from Republican voters. He has failed to gain traction in a crowded Republican field, currently led by bombastic billionaire Donald Trump.

Pataki has never won a seat on the main stage of the previous five Republican presidential debates as he has barely registered in the polls.

His low support also means that his departure will have little impact on the Republican presidential race.

Pataki became the fifth major candidate to drop out of the Republican presidential race, following former Texas Governor Rick Perry, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Senator Lindsey Graham. Endi