Al Leiter

Former baseball player Al Leiter says he won't enter the U.S. Senate race
One name floated in Republican to run for U.S. Senate now that Anne Evans Estabrook has dropped out is former baseball star Al Leiter, a New Jersey native.

But Estabrook’s withdrawal was news to Leiter, who lives in Florida, and her decision won’t change his mind about running.

“I was approached by some folks in Washington in regard to the third district for Mr. Saxton, and as I told them, I was intrigued with the process but I’m not ready,” he said. “I’m interested in many ways and different levels.”

The field of potential Republican candidates to replace Jim Saxton next year is still large, but a few of the names first floated have removed themselves from consideration.

Frank Lautenberg won't face Al Leiter in 2008, but the retired baseball player won't rule out 2014Retired baseball pitcher Al Leiter wants to set the record straight: he will not be a candidate to replace Jim Saxton in Congress next year.

The 42-year-old Ocean County native acknowledged his interest in seeking public office someday, and said that he appreciated the attention his potential candidacy has received since Saxton announced that he would not seek re-election.

"I'm not saying I'm not interested, but I'm also aware of what it takes and what the whole gain of it would be, and I'm not prepared for that at this time," Leiter told PoliticsNJ.com in a phone interview.

Retired baseball pitcher Al Leiter says he will not be a candidate to replace Jim Saxton in Congress next year.

The 42-year-old Ocean County native acknowledged his interest in seeking public office someday, and said that he appreciated the attention his potential candidacy had received since Saxton announced he would not run for re-election.

"I'm not saying I'm not interested, but I'm also aware of what it takes and what the whole gain of it would be, and I'm not prepared for that at this time," Leiter told PolitickerNJ.com in a telephone interview today.

Will former GOP State Chairman David Norcross run for Congress?U.S. Rep. James Saxton's retirement has opened the floodgates, with over a dozen names pouring out as potential successors to the dozen-term Congressman. And many of those names hail from Ocean County, a solidly Republican locale that has never had a Congressman who called it home.

Ocean County politicians see this as a great opportunity to a long-deserved seat. But while they appear to have more aspirants than Burlington County, which makes up a roughly equal chunk of the district, so far no potential candidate has appeared from Ocean with the name recognition or draw of Diane Allen, who bobs to the surface of congressional hopefuls.

Short of drafting a celebrity to run, the best hope for any Ocean County Republican to win the nomination is an internal battle in Burlington County - a real possibility. Allen's current nemesis, GOP boss Glenn Paulsen, could make things more complicated for her as long as their two party factions are warring. Or former GOP State Chairman David Norcross, a veteran political player who has reportedly expressed interest in running for the seat, could wage a strong challenge as well.