Steyer ‘will decide soon’ on Senate run

Billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer said Tuesday that he is close to deciding on whether to run for Senate in 2016.

Steyer did not say whether he would run for the seat Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) is leaving, nor which way he is leaning.

{mosads}“Holding office is a sacred trust in our society, and I am honored that so many colleagues and friends have encouraged me to consider entering this race,” Steyer wrote Tuesday in the Huffington Post.

“California Democrats are blessed to have a deep bench of talent, and I will decide soon based on what I think is the best way to continue the hard work we have already started together to prevent climate disaster and preserve American prosperity.”

Shortly after Boxer announced her intention to retire from the Senate in two years, a close ally of Steyer said he was considering running, and was reaching out to fellow Democrats in an effort to gauge their interest.

Steyer’s Tuesday column made it clear that he is interested, but came no closer to revealing what his decision will be.

“One thing is clear — Washington needs to be shaken up and we need climate champions who will fight for the next generation,” wrote Steyer, the founder of NextGen Climate and a former hedge fund manager who contributed the most of any individual to last year’s midterm elections.

He was very complimentary of Boxer, who he said “advocated for what was right throughout her time in public service — consistently, insistently, and courageously.”

Earlier Tuesday, California Attorney General Kamala Harris, a Democrat, became the first candidate to announce her intention to run for the seat. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Steyer are among the other potential candidates considering a run.