Jerry Springer, the host of his popular self-titled talk show on dysfunctional relationships, has announced he will not run for a seat in the U.S. Senate.
Springer, a fomer mayor of Cincinnati, had flirted with the idea of running against Sen. George Voinivich, R-Ohio, in the 2004 election.
Springer said he cannot be talk show host Jerry Springer running for Senate; he has to be political candidate Jerry Springer running for Senate. He said he will look for other outlets to get his message to the people.
“I honestly believe I have a good message to deliver to the people but I can’t get my message out while doing the show,” Springer said. “My basic argument is that our government is elitist,” he said.
Springer recognizes with the national reputation of his risqué talk show, it would be difficult to deliver his political message to the people.
“No matter how strong my message, I will not be able to draw seperation from my show,” Springer said.
Everyone who contributed money to the Jerry Springer Senate campaign will get a full refund.
Springer said he has no plans of changing the format of his show, despite his recent political aspirations being highly publicized nationwide.
“I was hired to do a show about dysfunctional relationships, and that’s what I will continue to do,” he said.
Springer’s current contract for his show runs through the summer season of 2004. Springer said it would not be possible for him to run a national Senate campaign and conduct his show in Chicago at the same time.
Springer did not rule out the possibility of running for political office at a later date.
“If I ever want to be a future political candidate, it must be when I am not doing the show,” Springer said.
