Kennedy To Remain Out of Race For Governor

BOSTON--U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II (D-Mass.) said yesterday that he still has no plans to run for Massachusetts governor, despite an announcement earlier in the day that a key contender would not seek the office.

Former U.S. Sen. Paul E. Tsongas told reporters earlier in the day that he had called Kennedy to discuss his candidacy before holding a news conference to take himself out of the governor's race.

But in a telephone interview from Washington, Kennedy said, "At this particular time, I don't anticipate becoming a candidate, and I am not a candidate, for governor."

"He was so far ahead in the polls and was willing to take some of the tough stands a leader in politics must make, cutting services and raising taxes," Kennedy said of Tsongas. "He had a unique ability to reach out to people, both in the business community and the human services community."

Tsongas cited family considerations in announcing his decision not to run but did not endorse any of the candidates currently in the race.