Wilson Passes On 2000 Race

Faced with a daunting fund-raising challenge and strong competition from Texas Gov. George W. Bush, former California Gov. Pete Wilson said Monday he has decided against running for president in 2000.

"Reluctantly, I'm compelled to conclude that it is just not practical to pursue a candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000," he said in a statement.

The two-term governor and 1996 presidential candidate admitted the presidency is the only elective office he wants, but said it is too costly to enter the race at this stage.

Some candidates have spent several years laying the groundwork for their presidential bids, while Wilson said he has focused on his duties as governor.

Wilson, 65, was never considered a front-runner in 2000 and has barely registered on national polls. His decision bodes well for Republican candidates who are already courting California voters and its 54 electoral votes.

Wilson was in Ohio on Monday celebrating his father's 97th birthday and was not available for interviews. Instead he issued the statement that detailed his accomplishments as governor, his regret about not being able to run for president in 2000, and his plans for the future.

He did not mention Bush in the statement, but Wilson press secretary Sean Walsh called the Texas governor the "fresh interesting candidate on the national scene" and said Bush's popularity was a strong factor in Wilson's decision.

Bush, son of the former president, has not announced he will run, but many Republican governors at the National Governors' Association meeting believe a bid by Bush is imminent.

Stanford University's Hoover Institution confirmed Monday that Wilson has been appointed as a distinguished visiting fellow and would focus on teaching about the U.S. government and national security.

Wilson's presidential bid in 1996 was thwarted in part by bad luck. Just after announcing his candidacy, he lost his voice due to a throat ailment that required surgery. Forbidden by doctors from speaking for several weeks, his campaign never gained momentum and he dropped out of the race.

A former U.S. Marine Corps officer, Wilson first made his political reputation as a California state legislator. He later served as mayor of San Diego for 10 years and as a U.S. senator before being elected governor in 1990.