Honorary Chairman
Growing Up On The Family Farm
George Pataki learned the values of hard work, family and community while growing-up on his family’s farm in the small town of Peekskill in New York’s Hudson River Valley. George and his brother worked the fields alongside their parents and sold the goods at a roadside stand.
It was his experience on the farm that formed his core "governing philosophy," which all Republicans share: a strong belief in people, not bureaucracy; pursuit of smart ideas that work; and the expansion of personal freedoms that allow hardworking citizens to enjoy the benefits of their hard work.
George Pataki saw the American Dream become reality through the hard work and determination of his family.
Understanding the Importance of Freedom at an Early Age
George Pataki will never forget sitting with his father, grandparents, aunts and uncles watching on television with great pride, and then with great sadness as thousands of men, women and children fought for freedom in the streets of Budapest during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.
Their unrelenting commitment to freedom despite overwhelming odds was a defining moment in the Governor’s life, helping to shape his deep faith in the human spirit and the ability of individuals to improve the future for their families and their nation…their love of freedom and country is an inspiration to George Pataki every day.
Hard Work Pays Off
The lessons of hard work that George Pataki learned on the family farm paid off when he earned academic scholarships to attend Yale University and Columbia University School of Law.
Mayor of his Hometown
George Pataki’s political career began when he returned to Peekskill to start his own family on the same farmlands where he grew-up. Unfortunately, the Peekskill of his youth was fading away.
Rather than move his family away from the community that they loved, George Pataki decided that he was going to fight to change his hometown for the better.
In 1981, Republican George Pataki defeated the Democratic incumbent to become the Mayor of Peekskill—beginning a political career grounded in local concerns that is still thriving today.
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