Young Isn't Running

By DHinMI

Former Ambassador to the UN Andrew Young won’t run for the Georgia Senate seat being vacated by [nominal] Democrat Zell Miller. Young’s stated reason against campaigning for election is one of the more imaginative ever offered:

"I decided that I could not be the candidate," said Young, 71, who had kept Democrats guessing about his intentions for days.
"I was afraid I'd win. Winning would mean I would spend the next seven years of my life in Washington, and Washington is not always the center of action."
He said he wanted to help "maintain and restore a new hope in democracy" but not by running for Senate.

The AP reports that as recently as Thursday Young was still hinting he would run, even telling a Democratic policy group “he was ‘in the process’ of preparing a campaign.”

Michelle Nunn, the daughter of former Senator Sam Nunn, had withdrawn her intentions to run when Young suggested he would compete for the seat; Young has now offered his help to Michelle Nunn and recently defeated former Senator Max Cleland should either chose to run. Some political observers have given Nunn good marks for her work with Georgia public foundations and non-profits, and her father is still highly regarded by many Georgians. Young’s withdrawal, however, will undoubtedly lead to more calls from Democrats in both Georgia and D.C. for Cleland to forgo waiting until 2008, when he could directly avenge his 2002 defeat by taking on Saxby Chambliss, and run to defend the Senate seat that's open this campaign cycle.

Posted October 03, 2003 10:57 AM | Comments (52)