Jerry Springer announced on his podcast Thursday that he does not plan to run for governor of Ohio in 2018.
Springer told his podcast co-host Jene Galvin, “It’s not something as a husband and as a father and grandfather that I can do at this point.”
He said he made the decision on Thanksgiving after dinner with his family.
“They love me, so they say you’ve got to do what you want to do,” he said. “Well, no. I’ve got to do what I know deep in their hearts they want and what could make their life better.”
“It’s a real passion for me. Political issues, my love of Ohio,” he said, adding, “You don’t do that unless you devote every minute of your life to it.”
Springer referenced his age as one of the reasons he won't run; he would be nearly 75 when taking office.
Influential Ohio Democrats such as former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland had been pushing Springer to run.
Springer, who was formerly mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, also considered running for U.S. Senate in 2000 and 2004 but did not do so. He did run for the Democratic nomination for governor in 1982 before his talk show days, but lost.
In February, he told the Cincinnati Enquirer, “I could be Trump without the racism,” which may have sparked the rumors that he would run for governor.
Springer mentioned research and internal polling indicated he could win the race if he'd decided to run.
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