Pataki backs Long for Senate

U.S. Senate candidate Wendy Long received an endorsement from former New York Gov. George Pataki today.

Long, a Republican from New York City, is challenging incumbent Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand in this fall's election.

"We need to send Wendy Long to Washington to cast the deciding vote to repeal Obamacare, end our dangerous addiction to borrowing and do what the Senate has failed to do for over three-years: finally pass a budget," Pataki said in a prepared statement. "In Kirsten Gillibrand and Wendy Long, New Yorkers have a clear choice between an ultra liberal agenda that favors higher taxes and government intervention versus a belief in limited government that values individual freedom and private sector initiative."

Not surprisingly, Long said she was honored to have Pataki's support.

"Under his leadership, more than one million New Yorkers got off the welfare rolls, and crime was reduced so that New York was transformed from one of the most dangerous to one of the safest states in America, George Pataki reversed the liberal slide in New York, as Senator I will reverse it in Washington," she said.

In his statement to the media, Pataki took some jabs at Gillibrand.

"It's the old saying, 'be careful what you wish for,'" he said. "Senator Gillibrand keeps saying she wants more women in politics – now let's see if she wants to debate them too."