by Jim Tankersley
Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) has given up his flirtation with the presidency of Bradley University, his alma mater, and will run for re-election.
LaHood had suspended campaign activities and fundraising while mulling whether to formally apply for the presidency after community leaders encouraged him to throw his hat in the ring.
In a statement released this afternoon, the outspoken congressman said that after discussing the opening with those leaders again this week, he decided not to apply. Earlier this summer, LaHood and other said his biggest hurdle to landing the job would likely be his lack of a doctoral degree — something every Bradley president has held — though LaHood said he believed the university was looking for a more “outside the box” candidate this time around.
Read on for LaHood’s statement: “I have met this week with the community leaders who had approached me
about applying for the position of president of Bradley University. I am
tremendously honored that I was approached about the possibility of
submitting my name.
“While the search committee is continuing their process of recruiting
Bradley’s next president, I have decided not to submit my name as a
candidate for the presidency. I have based this decision on the
information I have heard from these community leaders and people familiar
with the search process. I have not based this decision on media reports
regarding the search nor on reports of potential finalists for the job.
“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lead the school from which
I graduated and for which I have a great affinity and connection, that is
why I gave this serious consideration. Bradley is a wonderful
institution and I am convinced they will find the right person to be the
next president and I will continue to be an advocate for the university.”
