By John Wilkes from Eyesonobama.com:
What do Lynn Swann, Heath Shuler, John Elway, Franco Harris, Tim Couch, and JC Watts have in common? If you said they’re all former professional football players, you’d only be half right. All five gridiron greats have at least considered a 2010 bid for the US Senate or for Governor of their respective states.
What do Lynn Swann, Heath Shuler, John Elway, Franco Harris, Tim Couch, and JC Watts have in common? If you said they’re all former professional football players, you’d only be half right. All five gridiron greats have at least considered a 2010 bid for the US Senate or for Governor of their respective states.
Former Pittsburgh Steeler Lynn SwannLynn Swann isn’t exactly a stranger to the political scene. In 2006, he won the Republican nomination for Governor of Pennsylvania deep in Steeler territory. His campaign was spirited, but ultimately unsuccessful, flaming out spectacularly against incumbent Democrat Ed Rendell 60.4% to 39.6% in a state that tends to be more politically divided. Swann again considered running for Congress in 2008, but ultimately decided against it. Calls for Swann to challenge Republican Arlen Specter in a Pennsylvania primary are growing. Posts on the National Review blog, as well as an online petition signal the hope- at least in some corners- that Swann throw his hat in the ring once more.Franco Harris at a Democratic fundraising gala.
His longtime Steeler teammate and fellow Hall of Famer, Franco Harris- who’s most widely known for his "Immaculate Reception" in a 1972 playoff against the Oakland Raiders- is being courted by Democratic officials, according to an interview given to Politico by Pennsylvania Democratic Committee Chairman T.J. Rooney. Harris campaigned heavily for Barack Obama across the Keystone State in 2008, and was both a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2008 and to the Electoral College in December of the same year. If Harris were to run, you could probably expect Obama to return the favor. But how interesting would a Swann-Harris election be?
Denver Broncos quarterback and Republican fundraiser John Elway at a function for US troops.John Elway is becoming a perennial non-candidate in Colorado. In 2008, the lifelong Republican was rumored to be considering a run for the seat vacated by retiring incumbent Wayne Allard. But after a few months of little discussion (and eventual winner Mark Udall’s entry into the race), Elway decided to spend 2008 on the sidelines. Now that 2010 has come around and Democrats have a largely unknown incumbent in Michael Bennet (who was appointed to replace Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar), calls for Elway to enter the special election are growing. He’s been included in a few statewide matchup polls, including one by Public Policy Polling. Elway hasn’t publicly indicated his intentions one way or the other.Representative Heath Shuler (D-NC)
Heath Shuler, a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1993 and a first-round pick in the 1994 NFL draft, is currently representing the North Carolina 11th as a Democrat in the House, and until recently, was considering running for the Senate against Republican incumbent Richard Burr. But on March 9th, Shuler indicated that he won’t be seeking election to higher office. There’s still speculation that Shuler, who at just 37 is one of the youngest members in the House, may run sometime in the future, when he has more than just a term and a half under his belt.
Tim CouchTim Couch- like Shuler, a college standout who had trouble finding his footing in the NFL- is also rumored to be considering a bid for the Senate in his home state of Kentucky. KYPolitics.com (interesting choice for a name) reports that Couch has been laying the groundwork for a run, and will pursue it if Republican incumbent Jim Bunning retires. It’s possible the 31-year old number one draft pick could challenge Rep. Dan Boren in his home Congressional district instead.
Former Congressman JC Watts (R-OK)The Oklahoman additionally reported a few weeks back that JC Watts, a Canadian Football League quarterback and standout at the University of Oklahoma, is considering returning to politics (Watts previously served four straight terms in the House). According to various sources, Watts- who has been a Republican analyst on CNN since leaving Congress- may be angling to run for Governor after Democrat Brad Henry vacates the office due to term limits in 2010. If Republican Senator Tom Coburn retires, Watts may elect to seek that seat instead.
All we need now is for Steve Largent- another Hall of Fame football player from Oklahoma- to decide to get back in the political game and take whichever seat Watts doesn’t.