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Ex-Eagle Runyan may seek Adler's seat
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Longtime Philadelphia Eagle Jon Runyan will choose between professional football and political football over the next few weeks as he weighs a run for Congress.
Runyan, a starting offensive tackle for the Eagles from 2000 to 2008, said he may run for Congress as a Republican against U.S. Rep. John Adler, D-3rd, according to a political consultant who released a statement on Runyan's behalf.
"He's in the exploratory process, so he hasn't come to a decision yet," said Burlington County political consultant Chris Russell, who worked on the campaign of Adler's 2008 opponent, Chris Myers. "I think it's going to happen."
Runyan, 35, lives in Mount Laurel, Burlington County, and until recently was not registered with any party. He has not given money to political candidates at the state or federal level, according to campaign finance records. Russell said Runyan recently registered as a Republican and would probably have to decide whether to run by January. However, he indicated Runyan did not want to speak publicly about the prospective run just yet.
The big question may be whether the popular former Eagle is ready to give up football. After the Eagles let Runyan become a free agent this year, Runyan worked out with at least three teams, according to ESPN.com. When Runyan's replacement, Shawn Andrews, was placed on injured reserve and declared out for the season, there was some discussion Runyan could return to the team. Thus far, it hasn't happened.
Runyan became a popular player during his years with the Eagles, famously appearing in a series of humorous McDonald's commercials that played upon his imposing stature. Standing at six feet, seven inches tall and weighing over 300 pounds, Runyan is known as a powerful run blocker. Pro Bowl cornerback Cortland Finnegan once compared Runyan's blocking on a screen pass to being baptized, waking up only after the impact was past.
Should he run, his name recognition and his outsider status could help him, Russell said.
He would face a freshman incumbent in Adler, who is the first Democrat to hold his seat in more than a century, having ridden President Obama's coattails to a win in 2008 after longtime Republican congressman Jim Saxton retired from the seat.
The 2010 race for the seat is expected to be highly contested because of its long history as a Republican seat and a strong Republican base. Adler had $1,193,061 in his campaign account as of Sept. 30, according to the Federal Elections Commission.
Contact Daniel Walsh:
856-649-2074
Posted in OCEAN on Friday, November 13, 2009 2:10 am
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