Nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis was ordered back on the ballot in a New Jersey state Senate election by a federal appeals court Tuesday in possibly the final word in a court drama over whether the celebrity political newcomer would meet a four-year residency requirement for state senators.
The drama played out in a series of court rulings that began rolling out not long after Lewis declared his candidacy in April. He bounced between being on the ballot and off it for months.
Tuesday's ruling was a split decision, 2-1, that said the state failed to demonstrate a compelling state interest for keeping Lewis off the ballot. The court said a full ruling would come later.
Tuesday, Mark Sheridan, a lawyer representing Burlington County Republicans who sought to keep Lewis off the ballot, said his clients would appeal the latest ruling.
"I think the court absolutely got it wrong," he said. They applied the wrong standard."
Meanwhile, Lewis's lawyer said the court got it right.
"Today's decision puts this matter with the voters of the Eighth Legislative District, where it rightfully belongs," Lewis attorney William Tambussi said. "We are pleased that the voters now have a meaningful choice."
Lewis, a Democrat, wanted to run in the reliably Republican 8th Legislative District, challenging Republican Sen. Dawn Addiego.
It was Republican Gov. Chris Christie's running mate and lieutenant governor, Kid Guadagno, in her capacity as secretary of state, who ruled Lewis should not be able to run.
The 50-year-old Lewis grew up in southern New Jersey, went to college in Texas and settled in California. In 1984, he moved from track star to celebrity when he won four gold medals at the Los Angeles Olympics.
Over the next 12 years, he collected five more golds in the Olympics. He bought homes in New Jersey in 2005 and 2007 and started coaching track at his alma mater, Willingboro High School, in 2007. But, he continued to vote in California through 2009 and registered to vote in New Jersey only this year.
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