John Garamendi Jr., the son of California's lieutenant governor who flirted with a bid for state Senate earlier this year, has said he will not be a candidate in 2008.
"No, I am not running," Garamendi Jr. told Capitol Alert.
Garamendi Jr. was a rumored candidate in Senate District 5, the seat currently occupied by termed-out Sen. Mike Machado, one of the few competitive districts in the state. Assemblywoman Lois Wolk, D-Davis, has announced her candidacy as has Assemblyman Greg Aghazarian, R-Stockton.
His withdrawal from a Democratic primary race he never really entered has been rumored since a local blog, The Davis Vanguard, posted that Garamendi was out.
That leaves just one prominent candidate from both parties - Wolk and Aghazarian - in the race, allowing both the GOP and Democrats to avoid a pitched primary battle.
"After a great deal of soul searching, I decided now is not the time," the younger Garamendi said.
As for his future political prospects, Garamendi, who raises private money for UC Merced - always a valued skill in politics - said he had no immediate plans, but wasn't ruling out a future bid for office.
"Never say never," he said, "but I can say not now."
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