Pataki to announce whether he'll run for president on May 28

Former New York governor George Pataki said on MSNBC's Morning Joe Thursday that he will announce whether he will run for the president on May 28.

Pataki, 69, will make his decision known in New Hampshire, which hosts the first presidential primary.

During the MSNBC appearance, Pataki cited “the ability to appeal beyond just a Republican electorate" as to what would distinguish him from other GOP candidates, adding that he could "win in a state like New York."

A Pataki candidacy in the crowded Republican primary field could fairly be described as a long-shot bid. While he served as governor of New York from 1995-2007 -- defeating liberal icon Mario Cuomo in 1994 -- he's largely been off the national stage in the years since leaving office.

A super PAC backing a potential Pataki candidacy, We the People Not Washington, was formed earlier this year. The former governor has made frequent trips to New Hampshire in recent months as he considers a bid.