TRENTON — Former Olympic track and field star Carl Lewis said the five month legal battle over whether he could be on the ballot in November actually strengthened his candidacy for state Senate. “It actually, I think, enhanced it,” said Lewis at a press conference, less than 24 hours after a federal appeals court ordered him on the ballot....
Nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis is shown in this August file photo. A federal appeals court panel has put him back on the ballot to run for state Senate.TRENTON — Former Olympic track and field star Carl Lewis said the five month legal battle over whether he could be on the ballot in November actually strengthened his candidacy for state Senate.
“It actually, I think, enhanced it,” said Lewis at a press conference, less than 24 hours after a federal appeals court ordered him on the ballot. “The campaign for me was about the people… A lot of them really knew about the campaign because of this, then they actually started asking me about the campaign.”
Lewis, 50, declared his candidacy in April against state Sen. Dawn Marie Addiego (R-Burlington) in the Republican-leaning 8th District. But he has had to spend months in court after Republicans challenged him, arguing he had not lived in New Jersey for the four years required of state Senate candidates – in part because he voted in California as recently as 2009.
Tuesday, in a 2-1 decision, a federal appeals panel ruled in Lewis’ favor. Republicans say they will appeal.
Even though Lewis said he knocked on voters’ doors in every town in the district, the press conference was almost a campaign kickoff. It included an introduction of his two new running mates – Assembly candidates Anita Foster Lovely and Pamela Finnerty -- who replaced former placeholder running mates.
Lewis did not criticize Lt. Gov. Kim Guadgano, who first kicked him off the ballot in April. And he did not repeat criticism of Gov. Chris Christie, who he said tried to dissuade him from running.
“He owes me lunch. And I’ll accept it, too,” said Lewis. “Look, it’s not personal to me. If it was personal, then I shouldn’t be here.”
Previous coverage:
• Federal appeals court panel puts Carl Lewis back on ballot for state Senate race
• Federal judge upholds decision to remove Carl Lewis from ballot for state Senate
• Carl Lewis to gain new running mates in state Senate race
• Carl Lewis' lawyers include Former State Supreme Court Justice John Wallace Jr.