"Vote for what I believe in," a disqualified Lewis tells supporters

With his political race over, Olympic track star Carl Lewis said Friday that he had not soured on politics and that he hoped people who wanted to vote for him would still go to the polls Nov. 8.

"You're not going to get a chance to vote for me on the ballot, but you can actually vote for what I believe in," he said in a news conference at the Mount Laurel Aloft hotel.

Lewis, 50, of Medford, was disqualified from the ballot Thursday after a five-month court battle. His campaign manager, Chris Walker, said Thursday that Lewis would not take the matter any further after a federal appeals court panel ruled that New Jersey's four-year residency requirement for state Senate candidates did not violate his constitutional rights.

Lewis would not say Friday whether he'd try again in 2013 for the Senate seat representing Burlington County's Eighth Legislative District, but he did attempt to tamp down speculation that he was eyeing a contest with freshman Republican U.S. Rep. Jon Runyan next year. Political observers have speculated for months that the former track and field star aimed to challenge the former NFL offensive tackle.

"There is zero chance I'm running for Congress," Lewis said. "That's a wrap."

As for the Eighth District state Senate race, Democrats aren't sure whether they'll try to replace Lewis, meaning Republican Sen. Dawn Marie Addiego could run uncontested, said Joe Andl, who heads the Burlington County Democrats. The deadline to replace candidates was Sept. 13, and the county clerks are printing and mailing the ballots. To put someone on the ballot would require another court battle, and Andl said he was not sure that was how the party wanted to spend its resources.

"It is a tough battle; we're in a district that is predominantly Republican," he said of the party's options. "Time, cost, it's all a factor."

As for Lewis, the Willingboro native said he would help other candidates, including the two Democratic Assembly candidates running in the Eighth Legislative District: Lumberton committeewoman Anita Lovely and Waterford committeewoman Pamela Finnerty. He'll continue his charity work and serving as a volunteer track coach at his alma mater, Willingboro High School.

He also said he might write a book about his experiences.

The nine-time Olympic gold medalist lived for many years in California before returning to New Jersey. Although Lewis said he moved to New Jersey as early as 2005, he voted by absentee ballot in California in 2008 and 2009, a fact that both state and federal judges focused on when deciding whether Lewis could run.

A three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on Thursday ruled against Lewis, reversing its order that put Lewis on the ballot last week. The panel, after agreeing to rehear the case, affirmed Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno's decision not to certify his candidacy. Guadagno, in her role as secretary of state, said Lewis did not meet the four-year residency requirement to run for state Senate.