RATHCLAN, S. Ceona -- The voters of South Ceona soundly rejected him for a second term last week, but that's not stopping former Gov. Greg Laskie (C) from jumping right back in to the political fray.
Laskie, who lost by four percentage points to Nationalist political new-comer Brett Ratenzy, announced Tuesday he will set his sights on a much smaller and less-prestigious prize: county prosecutor.
Despite his bruising defeat in the governor's race, Laskie said he will run for county prosecutor in Alieva County, which is home to the state capital of Rathclan.
With a population of 135,000, the county includes the eastern suburbs of Fairfield and leans Conservative.
It has served as home base for Laskie in all of his congressional and gubernatorial campaigns over the years.
At his announcement press conference, the obvious question reporters wanted to know was why Laskie was not retreating to private life after a humiliating defeat.
"Most candidates would quietly fade from public life after losing a high-profile political race," Wade Finley of the Fairfield Integrus newspaper asked Laskie. "Why are you choosing to not only stay in the spotlight, but to re-enter the political scene so quickly after a grueling campaign?"
Laskie responded by saying "the spirit of public service is still calling," and the former governor and assemblyman said serving as county prosecutor would be more amenable to his family situation.
"Right now my wife has cancer, I have small kids at home, I don't feel compelled to run for Congress again because that would take me back straight back to Mavocke. But working as county prosecutor in my hometown would allow me to continue to serve, to continue to make a living, and to be close to my family and my wife," Laskie, 46, said.
"And it would allow me to do what I love, to be a prosecutor," he added.
Before entering state politics, Laskie was a local and federal prosecutor.
His political career was built largely on his tough-on-crime record.
"Fighting crime is still my passion, protecting our community, protecting our state, protecting our children, holding criminal offenders accountable...those are all things that are very important to me."
It's unclear who Laskie may face in the prosecutor's race. The incumbent, Greg Estholm - also a Conservative - is retiring.
Laskie made clear his decision to seek a local position was not because he doubts his electability to statewide office.
"I was elected governor once before, I know I can win. I'm not doing this because I don't think I can win a higher office, I'm doing this because it's something I think I would be good at, it's right for me and my family, and it would allow me to give my talents to the local eastside community, which is very important to me since it's my hometown."
Brett Ratenzy, a first-time candidate, defeated Laskie in South Ceona's special gubernatorial election on March 26.
Ratenzy, 56, an auto union leader from Gallaghan, earned 51 percent of the vote to Laskie's 47 percent.
The moderate Nationalist campaigned on a message of building the economy and investing in social services, which had been gutted due to falling revenues thanks to deep tax cuts initiated during the Laskie administration.
Ratenzy is the second Nationalist to be elected to the governorship, and the first person from outside the Fairfield-Rathclan metro area to hold the position.
He's also the first governor since South Ceona's borders were reduced following the incorporation of the Kensington region in the eastern part of the state.
At his press conference, Greg Laskie wouldn't rule out another run for governor in the future, but said right now his focus is more localized.
Laskie's wife Cindy is battling aggressive breast cancer and has been receiving treatment at the Cramer Cancer Clinic at Fairfield Medical Center.
Laskie, who lost by four percentage points to Nationalist political new-comer Brett Ratenzy, announced Tuesday he will set his sights on a much smaller and less-prestigious prize: county prosecutor.
Despite his bruising defeat in the governor's race, Laskie said he will run for county prosecutor in Alieva County, which is home to the state capital of Rathclan.
With a population of 135,000, the county includes the eastern suburbs of Fairfield and leans Conservative.
It has served as home base for Laskie in all of his congressional and gubernatorial campaigns over the years.
At his announcement press conference, the obvious question reporters wanted to know was why Laskie was not retreating to private life after a humiliating defeat.
"Most candidates would quietly fade from public life after losing a high-profile political race," Wade Finley of the Fairfield Integrus newspaper asked Laskie. "Why are you choosing to not only stay in the spotlight, but to re-enter the political scene so quickly after a grueling campaign?"
Laskie responded by saying "the spirit of public service is still calling," and the former governor and assemblyman said serving as county prosecutor would be more amenable to his family situation.
"Right now my wife has cancer, I have small kids at home, I don't feel compelled to run for Congress again because that would take me back straight back to Mavocke. But working as county prosecutor in my hometown would allow me to continue to serve, to continue to make a living, and to be close to my family and my wife," Laskie, 46, said.
"And it would allow me to do what I love, to be a prosecutor," he added.
Before entering state politics, Laskie was a local and federal prosecutor.
His political career was built largely on his tough-on-crime record.
"Fighting crime is still my passion, protecting our community, protecting our state, protecting our children, holding criminal offenders accountable...those are all things that are very important to me."
It's unclear who Laskie may face in the prosecutor's race. The incumbent, Greg Estholm - also a Conservative - is retiring.
Laskie made clear his decision to seek a local position was not because he doubts his electability to statewide office.
"I was elected governor once before, I know I can win. I'm not doing this because I don't think I can win a higher office, I'm doing this because it's something I think I would be good at, it's right for me and my family, and it would allow me to give my talents to the local eastside community, which is very important to me since it's my hometown."
Brett Ratenzy, a first-time candidate, defeated Laskie in South Ceona's special gubernatorial election on March 26.
Ratenzy, 56, an auto union leader from Gallaghan, earned 51 percent of the vote to Laskie's 47 percent.
The moderate Nationalist campaigned on a message of building the economy and investing in social services, which had been gutted due to falling revenues thanks to deep tax cuts initiated during the Laskie administration.
Ratenzy is the second Nationalist to be elected to the governorship, and the first person from outside the Fairfield-Rathclan metro area to hold the position.
He's also the first governor since South Ceona's borders were reduced following the incorporation of the Kensington region in the eastern part of the state.
At his press conference, Greg Laskie wouldn't rule out another run for governor in the future, but said right now his focus is more localized.
Laskie's wife Cindy is battling aggressive breast cancer and has been receiving treatment at the Cramer Cancer Clinic at Fairfield Medical Center.
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