Former New York Governor George Pataki is going to decide this week whether he should throw his hat into the crowded ring of GOP presidential aspirants.

A spokesman has confirmed that former Governor George Pataki is strongly considering entering the crowded race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Sources say Pataki, who left office in 2007, could make an announcement as early as next week.

If he were to run, Pataki would face several major obstacles including launching an operation with little campaign cash and facing several opponents who have been meeting voters in Iowa and New Hampshire for months.

Pataki has been a vocal critic of President Barack Obama's health care plan.

The former governor was recently spotted watching the last Republican presidential debate at a bar in Chelsea.

Huntsman and Pataki are making vanity runs. That, or they're auditioning for the number two spot. Neither candidate can seriously entertain hopes of winning the nomination.

The long shot is that the conservatives in the race will kill each other off, leaving a "Not Romney" moderate alternative in either Huntsman or Pataki. It won't happen. I suspect that after South Carolina, the conservatives who don't win that primary will exit leaving the strongest righty to face off against Romney in Florida and beyond.

That leaves the Veep spot - neither gentleman being at the top of anyone's list at present. So the question to both moderates in the race is, beyond some ego stroking, why bother?