Mark Lunsford reconsiders, won't run for House seat

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

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Lunsford wants to continue to travel the country in support of tougher laws against sexual offenders and predators.

Just two weeks after Mark Lunsford said he would run for the open district 43 state House seat, he's changed his mind.

"I owe the foundation a responsibility, and that's to finish what I started," Lunsford said. "You know, traveling to other states, testifying, doing speaking engagements, awareness."

The foundation is the one he formed in honor of his slain daughter, Jessica Marie, who was kidnapped, raped and murdered by John Couey in February 2005.

Lunsford said he wouldn't be able to finish his mission of passing tougher child protection laws across the nation if he won a seat in the Florida Legislature.

"If I tried to run for office and if I won, I think what they would do is try to hold me under their thumb, try to hold me down," Lunsford said.

Lunsford said one thing that affected his decision is that he can now earn a living while finishing his mission. He's accepted a salary with a private child advocacy group, affording him the chance to get all 50 states to pass a version of Jessie's Law.

Lunsford said he's not ruling out a run for political office in the future.