NATION : Jesse Jackson Says He Will Not Be a Candidate for D.C. Mayor
WASHINGTON — Jesse L. Jackson made it official today by announcing he will not run for mayor of the nation’s capital in this fall’s election.
“I want to continue to serve, but not as mayor,” the civil rights leader and two-time Democratic presidential candidate said in a statement.
Jackson’s political plans have been the subject of conjecture since he moved to Washington last April. The speculation intensified with Mayor Marion Barry’s arrest last month on a cocaine possession charge.
In his statement, Jackson did not address whether in 1992 he will again seek the White House.
He said he plans to continue working to end the city’s drug and crime crisis and to push for statehood for the District of Columbia.
“At present I believe that I may best serve by continuing my work on a national level to change the direction of this country. I want to serve, but not as mayor,” Jackson said.
Jackson’s decision comes amid growing signs that voters--and politicians--are wary of a Jackson mayoral bid. A Washington Post poll released Thursday said Jackson would trail Barry if both were candidates in the September Democratic primary.
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