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Billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer announced Thursday that he has decided not to run for the U.S. Senate when Sen. Barbara Boxer steps down in 2016. “My decision about whether to engage from the outside or seek elected office came down to a single question: How best can I fight for a level playing field at this point?” Steyer wrote on the Huffington Post. The race on the Democratic side is slowly settling into a north-south battle between Attorney General Kamala Harris and former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, although Rep. Adam Schiff said today he is giving serious consideration to running.
Steyer framed his statement around his ongoing efforts to advance the cause of slowing climate change. "The global warming crisis -- writ large -- will define the success or failure of our generation," he wrote.
My decision about whether to engage from the outside or seek elected office came down to a single question: How best can I fight for a level playing field at this point?
This was a very hard decision. The U.S. Senate offers a unique opportunity to serve, but I also know that we will have excellent candidates. I applaud and respect those running, and am confident that Californians will choose a representative who will serve them well. Given the imperative of electing a Democratic president -- along with my passion for our state -- I believe my work right now should not be in our nation's capitol but here at home in California, and in states around the country where we can make a difference.Going forward, I intend to redouble my efforts working with partners and fellow citizens to push for change. The road we take may be less traveled and less well-marked, but I am very determined. The journey is far from over -- in fact, it has just begun.
Harris quickly took to Twitter with a comment.
I look forward to working with @TomSteyer to confront & combat climate change, one of the most pressing issues facing future generations.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 22, 2015