Geraldo Rivera has decided not to run for the U.S. Senate in Ohio, he said Friday, less than 48 hours after the former talk show host and current Fox News contributor claimed to be considering it.
Mr. Rivera explained during an appearance on the “Fox & Friends” morning show that he would rather stay with the network than potentially run to succeed retiring Sen. Rob Portman, Ohio Republican.
The former host of the long-running “Geraldo” talk show had divulged his Senate ambitions on social media early Wednesday, but those dreams were soon dashed after he said he spoke with network brass.
“Fox freaked out,” recalled Mr. Rivera, who said he was told to “pick a lane” and choose to be either a journalist or politician but not both.
“I wasn’t ready to, you know, jump off my current turnstile,” he said. “So, instead I had to kind of embarrass myself and say never mind.”
Mr. Rivera, 77, said elsewhere during the segment that he had been “very enthusiastic” about possibly running for the Senate and received positive feedback before he ultimately decided against it.
“It really was resonating, but I’m not prepared yet to leave my current profession,” he added. “Maybe if I kept my mouth shut another six months it would have been a different story.”
Mr. Portman, 65, announced in January he will not seek a third-term representing Ohio in the U.S. Senate, putting his seat up for grabs when voters there cast ballots in the November 2022 elections.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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