Welch won't run for Mayor

Outgoing City Council President, Dan Welch, will not run for Mayor of Omaha in 2009.

Welch responded to Leavenworth Street that:

"I have some professional obligations that I thought would be resolved by now. Unfortunately that has not happened.

As a result I can’t commit the kind of time that would be necessary to run an effective Mayoral campaign. I don’t expect that I will free up in time to make a bid."

Welch would certainly have made the race interesting, and it's possible there was still room for a fourth major candidate.

However, being the third, and last, Republican to get in would have hurt Welch's ability to raise the proper amount of funds for the race. Many contributors have already picked sides and it would have been difficult for Welch to raise the cash he needed.

We've felt that Welch really wanted to represent Nebraska's Second District in Congress, and had Jim Esch pulled it off in November, Welch would probably be raising money for a run for that office right now.

However, it would be extremely unlikely for Welch to challenge Lee Terry, so it waits to be seen where Welch goes next politically.

We wish him well and look forward to seeing him down the road.