Governor George Pataki (R-NY) announced Friday he will endorse Westchester District Attorney Jeanine Pirro in her bid for the GOP nomination in the 2007 U.S. Senate race.

If Pirro wins the party?s nomination she will challenge Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY). Pataki?s endorsement of Pirro comes as a blow to Manhattan lawyer Edward Cox, who had said the governor thought he was the best candidate to challenge Clinton. Shortly after Pataki?s public announcement in Manhattan, Cox bowed out of the race.

The endorsement is a big boon to Pirro, who has been trailing Clinton in recent polls.