Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden announced Thursday he’ll run for governor in 2016.
Mr. Biden, son of Vice President Joseph R. Biden, also said he won’t seek reelection to his current post later this year.
“Over the past few months, as I’ve planning to run for reelection, I have also been giving a great deal of thought to running for governor in 2016. What started as a thought — a very persistent thought — has now become a course of action that I wish to pursue,” Mr. Biden said. “After careful consideration, I have concluded that it is not right to ask for your support in 2014, knowing that my focus would be divided between my job as attorney general while at the same time running as a candidate for governor … After my term is completed, I look forward to meeting with Delawareans and continuing to discuss my plans as a candidate for governor.”
Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, a Democrat, will have served two terms by 2016 and cannot run for a third.
Mr. Biden’s name recognition and high profile as the state’s attorney general immediately makes him a favorite for governor.
He also has undergone numerous health scares in recent years. Mr. Biden suffered a mild stroke in 2010, and last year was again hospitalized after feeling weak during a vacation in Indiana.
He’s been tight-lipped about his health since then, but reportedly was given a clean bill of health in November.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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