NJ pol quit over wife's racist Carl Lewis email

TRENTON, N.J. - A Republican official says a freshman New Jersey lawmaker resigned because his wife sent "an offensive and racist" email to the Democratic state Senate campaign of nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis.

Burlington County Republican Chairman Bill Layton acknowledged Monday that Pat Delany stepped down from the Assembly this month because of his wife's missive to Lewis' campaign.

The Delanys are white. Lewis is black.

Jennifer Delany's email said, "Imagine having dark skin and name recognition and the nerve to think that equalled [sic] knowing something about politics."

According to Politico, Pat Delany recently released a statement saying: "I am deeply disappointed in my wife's decision to send that email to Mr. Lewis's campaign; it does not reflect my personal beliefs whatsoever. In an attempt to repair the serious damage this has caused to our marriage, and to protect our kids from public humiliation, I decided to leave public life. On behalf of my family, we sincerely apologize to Mr. Lewis for any pain this caused him."

Lewis and Republicans have been fighting over whether he meets the state's residency requirement for candidates. He has lived in Texas and California, but grew up in New Jersey and has owned homes in the state since 2005. New Jersey has a four-year residency requirement for political office.

He has won the Democratic party's nomination for the 8th district Senate seat, and is appealing the Lt. Governor's decision to keep him off the ballot for the general election.

The former track star told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Gov. Chris Christie tried to talk him out of running and threatened to cut an athletic program Lewis wanted to start.

The Christie administration told the newspaper Lewis misunderstood the talk.