San Gabriel Valley : SCOTT MAY RUN

Outgoing Pasadena City College President Jack Scott is considering running as a Democrat for the 44th Assembly District seat against Republican incumbent Bill Hoge.

“I’m seriously considering a bid for the seat,” said Scott, who retires as the college’s president Nov. 30 and plans to teach at Pepperdine University.

The 62-year-old, Yale-educated Texan said he will announce whether he will be a candidate soon, well before the Nov. 29 deadline for candidates to file declarations of intent.

Some Democrats said they see Scott, a fiscal conservative and liberal activist, as a Colin Powell-like candidate to challenge Hoge, a conservative Republican who has held the seat since 1992.

“He’s the ideal candidate. There’s a very high expectation that he will run,” said Fred Register, a Pasadena Democratic political consultant.

During Scott’s presidency more than $100 million in improvements were made to the college. His life took a tragic turn in 1993 when his son, Adam, 27, was shot to death. Since then he has dedicated much of his time to Pasadena’s Coalition for a Non-Violent City.

Last week, Hoge announced he will seek a third term rather than make a bid for the state Senate seat being vacated by Newton Russell (R-Pasadena).