Virginia Lawyers Weekly VA Lawyers Weekly
Sen. J. Chapman Petersen, D-Fairfax, who had been mentioned as a possible gubernatorial candidate in 2013, took himself out of the running late yesterday.
In a lengthy post on Facebook, he explained his reasons.
He said he had been getting many inquiries, which he did not discourage.
But “[t]o run for public office, a lot of pieces must be in place: family, financial, professional and spiritual. A candidate must also have a vision which is congruent with the moment…. Timing is everything,” he said.
“2013 is not my time,” he said.
“I’m very blessed right now to have a growing family, a busy law practice and a seat in the Virginia Senate,” he added. “Those obligations, plus additional ones with church and community, will take up my time for the next two years.”
A candidate for statewide office must “24/7 at least a year prior. I can’t make that commitment right now. I can’t even make it in the next 2-3 months,” he said.
Even though he won’t be in the race, Petersen said that he wants to be engaged. “ I have a lot of ideas, both substantive and political, which I’d like to offer” the eventual Democratic nominee, he said, thanking everyone who had encouraged him to run.
– Paul Fletcher
