Lessig Decides Against Run for Congress

Larry Lessig, the Stanford law professor and internet cyber-hero who last week announced that he was mulling a run for Congress, has stopped mulling and said today that he's decided against a bid.

In a five-minute video posted online, Lessig said a pollster he hired to gauge his prospects has told him "it is not possible" to defeat Jackie Speiers, a popular Bay Area politician and the odds-on favorite to win the seat from California's 12th congressional district.

"Certainly we would lose this race in a big way," Lessig said. "My running and losing big would do more harm than good," for the nascent Change Congress project he's begun to combat the "skewing" influence of money and politics.

"Losing big in the first important battle is not an effective strategy," Lessig added.

Commenters on his website both praised Lessig's decision and expressed regret that he wouldn't run.

"Good decision," wrote Shaun Dakin. "You can do much more, over time, building a movement to change congress OUTSIDE of congress than INSIDE."

"Sad to hear it, LL!" wrote Jeremy C. "But trust we will be in strong support of your efforts, no matter what the format. I suppose Congress will still be around whenever you come around to making a run."

And at least one commenter sounded like a bride left at the altar.

"Umm, I don't mean to be rude, but that seemed like kind of a cruel tease," wrote "ttrygve." "Was one week even enough to look at anything in sufficient depth? If it was, then why bother announcing that you were considering before hand, why not just wait a week?"

by Sam Gustin