Tim Murray Will Not Run For Governor
BOSTON (CBS) - Lt. Governor Tim Murray says he has decided not to run for governor in 2014.
Murray cited the time commitment of his current job combined with a full-time campaign, and his responsibilities to his family as reasons to not enter the race.
"I have given considerable thought on how I can sustain this pace for the next 20 months while working on my portfolio of issues as Lieutenant Governor," Murray said in a letter to supporters Friday.
Read: Keller: Governor's Race Wide Open
"More importantly, I have been grappling with how I can juggle a campaign and work duties with my responsibilities as a husband and the father of two active and beautiful daughters, Helen and Kati, who are 7 and 6 years old."
Back in November, Murray told members of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce he would like to be governor some day, but noted that he was not ready to commit to running at that point.
"If the Lieutenant Governor had decided to be a candidate in the coming election, I was all in. All in," Gov. Deval Patrick told reporters Friday afternoon.
"It's surprising," said WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller. "(But) it's perfectly reasonable for a father of young kids, in mid-career if you will, to make this kind of call about the kind of lifestyle he wants."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports
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"It is a family issue," Murray said Friday. "And when I told my daughters today, this morning at the kitchen table, my daughter the 6-year-old said 'more family time' and my other daughter gave me a hug. So I think I made the right decision.".
If Murray had chosen to run, he likely would have faced questions about his relationship with former Chelsea Housing Authority Chief Michael McLaughlin. According to the Boston Globe, Murray was questioned earlier this year by state and federal investigators about his close political ally McLaughlin, who was caught hiding an inflated salary from state regulators.
Murray was also dogged by questions about a high-speed crash back in 2011. At the time, he gave conflicting accounts of the single car accident.
"The car crash was an embarrassing, and to this date, still somewhat mysterious episode and it may be the only thing, or one of the most notable things, many voters know about him," Keller said.
"It clearly was an obstacle and may well have factored into this decision."
WBZ-TV's Karen Anderson contributed to this report.
