Former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain, reacting to the news Friday that Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss plans to retire at the end of his current term, said he won’t seek the open seat — despite polls that show the Atlanta businessman the overwhelming favorite in 2014.
The former pizza executive, who rocketed to national prominence with his long-shot presidential bid in 2011, told listeners of his radio show on Friday he has no plans to run and reiterating those comments later to The Daily Caller website.
“I’m not running!” he told The Daily Caller. “My attention is laser focused on exposing the economic pain and suffering to come from a second Obama term, part of which is via my new nationally syndicated talk radio show that is finishing its first week on the air.”
Public Policy Polling in December showed Mr. Cain, 67, would be the favorite even if Mr. Chambliss, 69, hadn’t retired.
In that survey, Mr. Cain outpolled the incumbent among Republican primary voters, 50 percent to 36 percent.
With Mr. Chambliss stepping aside, speculation on the GOP side has centered on Mr. Cain, Rep. Paul Broun, Rep. Tom Price, and former Secretary of State Karen Handel.
In the fall of 2011, Mr. Cain briefly led the crowded GOP presidential field before he suspended his campaign in December 2011 amid a series of allegations of sexual misconduct.
• David Eldridge can be reached at deldridge@washingtontimes.com.
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