State Sen. Dick Ackerman said Monday he doesn’t plan to run for Christopher Cox’s congressional seat in a special election.
Ackerman, the top Republican in the Democrat-controlled Legislature, said he is focused on California’s budget and special election reforms set for November.
“Now is an exciting and critical time to be involved in California politics,” Ackerman said in a statement. “In weighing my options it became clear that staying in the Senate is the right thing to do. As the state Senate Republican leader, I can make a more direct impact on changing the direction of our state.”
Ackerman was seen as the frontrunner to replace Cox, who was nominated earlier this month by President Bush to be chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The nomination set off speculation over who would run for Cox’s seat in a solidly Republican district.
Ackerman’s pullout leaves state Sen. John Campbell as the leading candidate. Other speculated contenders include businessman and philanthropist Mark Chapin Johnson and Scott Baugh, head of the GOP in Orange County.
