The former president of the UNC system, Erskine Bowles, says he will not run for governor. Meanwhile, Democratic Representative Heath Shuler and state House Representative Joe Hackney will not seek another term in office.
Jessica Jones: Some state Democratic party leaders had their hopes pinned on Erskine Bowles, who they encouraged to run for the state's highest office now that Governor Bev Perdue is not seeking another term. But in a statement released yesterday, Bowles says he will not seek office again. He campaigned for a U-S Senate seat unsuccessfully in 2002 and 2004. And Democratic Congressman Heath Shuler of the Asheville area says he won't run again. It's not clear whether he's considering a run for governor. Here in the Triangle, state Democratic representative Joe Hackney has decided to step down. He says he wants more time for his law practice, his family and his farm. The House Minority leader has served 16 terms in the General Assembly. New redistricting maps placed him in the same district as Democratic Representative Verla Insko of Chapel Hill. Hackney says even if she hadn't been drawn into his district, he would have made the same decision anyway.
