Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis is planning to announce on Monday that he will run for the New Jersey State Senate, the
Philadelphia Inquirer and other news outlets reported.
Lewis said Sunday night that he planned a news conference Monday. He didn't offer details, but Democratic Assemblyman Herb Conaway has told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Lewis was in negotiations to run for the state Senate in the Eighth District.
Lewis would face Republican state Sen. Dawn Addiego for the senate seat which covers the solidly Republican east side of Burlington County, the Inquirer reported.
Word of Lewis' candidacy circulated late last week but Lewis declined to discuss his plans publicly.
Burlington County Democrats have fallen into a slump, the Philadelphia paper reported. They now hold only one county-level office and two assembly seats as well as some municipal seats.
A Lewis candidacy is seen by some as a way to help rebuild the county party.
Lewis, 50, was born in Alabama and grew up in Willingboro. He now lives in Medford.
Lewis won four gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, then defended his 100-meter title in Seoul in 1988 after Ben Johnson was stripped of the medal for doping. Lewis won the long jump in four straight Olympics.
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