Three men who may seek the republican party’s presidential nomination in 2008 were in Iowa this weekend. Colorado Governor Bill Owens spoke at a fundraiser in Davenport for Congressman Jim Nussle Saturday night. Tennessee Senator Bill Frist — the leader of republicans in the U.S. Senate — campaigned with G-O-P congressional candidate Stan Thompson. And New York Governor George Pataki was the headliner for a Saturday night fundraiser in Des Moines. But Pataki downplayed the visit as any prelude to a campaign of his own. “To speculate what might happen two years, three years, four years down the road is a disservice,” he said. Pataki said his focus is the six weeks that remain in this year’s election, and he’s traveling the country for President Bush. “This isn’t about me. This is about the President and the election of November 2nd,” Pataki said. Pataki beat incumbent democrat Mario Cuomo to become New York’s governor and some speculate Pataki might take on former First Lady Hillary Clinton when she seeks re-election to the U.S. Senate.
