Pataki pulls out of presidential race

Former New York Gov. George Pataki announced Tuesday night he is ending his bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

“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, someone who will bring us together and who understands that politicians, including the president, must be the people’s servant and not their master,” said Pataki said in a TV ad that aired on NBC affiliates in New Hampshire, Iowa, and South Carolina.

Pataki becomes the fifth GOP candidate to drop out of the presidential race before a single vote is cast. His move won’t have much effect. He, like the others who’ve quit the race, never made it onto the main stage for one of the five national debates so far. Eleven Republican candidates remain, now 32 days before the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 1.

WORLD Radio’s Nick Eicher contributed to this report.