Craig James Will Run for Senate

James faces former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert in the GOP primary

College football analyst Craig James announced Friday he will take leave from ESPN to run for a seat in the U.S. Senate in 2012.

Earlier this week it was reported James would make a decision by the end of the day Thursday.

James, 50, was a part of the Pony Express at Southern Methodist University and played for the New England Patriots, but most recently he made news when his family took down Texas Tech coach Mike Leach.

In the latter incident, the James family lodged a complaint about the way Leach treated their son, Adam, after Adam suffered a concussion in 2009. Pirate-obsessed Leach was forced to walk the plank just days before the Red Raiders played in the 2009 Alamo Bowl.

The 50-year-old Texas native announced in January he might be interested in moving from broadcasting to politics.

James will most likely run on a platform of restoring the ideals of America's founding fathers, since this summer he launched Texans for a Better America. The group, released a nearly three-minute promotional video ending with: "Join Craig James, support the fight."

James faces former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and several others in the Republican primary which moved from March 6 to April 3 in 2012.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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