MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (AP) — Nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis says he is giving up his legal fight to run for New Jersey state Senate.
His announcement comes a day after a federal appeals panel ruled that he’s not eligible to run because he does not meet a four-year residency requirement for the office.
That ruling from judges on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals came seven weeks before the election and just before ballots were to be printed for the state’s 8th Legislative District.
Lewis, a Democrat who has never run for office before, was trying to challenge Republican incumbent Dawn Addiego.
The 50-year-old track legend grew up in southern New Jersey but spent most of his adult life in Texas and California.
