Carl Lewis For New Jersey Senate ?

A couple of weeks ago Carl Lewis, the track star who has won eight Olympic gold medals, announced that he would run for a senate seat in New Jersey (in the 8th district in Burlington County). Lewis had said he would be running as a Democrat.

Evidently he has the New Jersey Republicans scared that he might actually be able to win the seat currently held by Republican Dawn Adeggio. That's because they have petitioned to have his name removed from the Democratic primary ballot. They are claiming he has not lived in New Jersey the required four years to qualify him for the office. As proof they said he owns a home in California and has been registered to vote there until this year.

But that wasn't enough for Administrative Law Judge John Schuster III. The judge ruled that the Republican Party had failed to prove that Lewis was not a resident of New Jersey for the requisite period. He made that ruling after Lewis testified that he has owned homes in New Jersey since 2005, has had a New Jersey driver's license since 2006, and been a volunteer track coach in Willingboro. He has also moved the offices of his charitable foundation to New Jersey.

The case now goes to the Republican Lt. Governor Kim Guadano (who also serves as Secretary of State) who could overturn the judge's decision. It could then be appealed to the Appellate Court. So it looks like it might be a while before this matter is finally settled (since Republicans will go to great lengths to keep a popular Democrat off the ballot).

But Lewis believes he will be on the ballot. He said, "The voters want to know where the candidates stand on the serious issues facing New Jersey and their visions for the future. They're not interested in partisan sideshows that distract from that important discussion."