Carl Lewis may have already earned plenty of medals in Olympic arenas, but now he’s going to test his mettle in the political arena. Though you probably won’t see the 49-year-old sprinting anytime soon, you may catch him running for office if you live in Burlington County, New Jersey. Lewis is expected to relay the news this afternoon that he’ll be competing in a new race as a Democratic candidate for the New Jersey State Senate. Before he reaches the finish line this November, he’ll have to overcome some hurdles [Note: Carl Lewis did not compete in the hurdles], such as the Republican incumbent, Ben Johnson Dawn Addiego. Lewis has no prior political experience, but if you think his candidacy is a stretch, consider that Burlington County’s congressman has already made the long jump from sports to politics: He’s former NFL tackle Jon Runyan.
AP: Olympian Carl Lewis to run for NJ Senate [AP]
Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis to run for N.J. office [On Politics/USAT]