George Pataki (Photo: Getty)

Former Gov. George Pataki, who made rumbles about running for president this year—before eventually dropping out of contention, doesn't sound like he's going to go through the same motions in four years. For the 2012 cycle, Mr. Pataki  traveled to Iowa and even went so far as to build a campaign website for the bid, but in an interview on Capital Tonight down at the Republican National Convention in Florida, Mr. Pataki said he doesn't "expect to run for public office" again.

"I'm going to do everything I can to help Gov. Romney win. I'm loving the private sector," he said when asked about the possibility. "I don't expect to run [for] public office, but I do want to help people who I believe in, who have the philosophy that I believe in, to win public office."

Pressed on whether any stars might have gotten into his eyes while surrounded by all of the convention's presidential imagery, Mr. Pataki stressed that he's enjoying himself outside of office.

"It's wonderful to be a private citizen and to be able to have the time to do the things I like," he responded. "I love public service, I think I was pretty good at it. It's a calling that you have, and sure, I'm always trying to help those who put their name in the arena, but that's not happening right now."

Of course, the credibility of Mr. Pataki's candidacy for the White House in 2012 was questioned for several reasons. Notably, although New York's governors and senators are often elevated in the national discussion and hypothesized about for presidential tickets, Mr. Pataki held a relatively lower profile, made even lower due to the fact he last held office in 2006.

In 2016, that date would be even further back.