Condit Still Considering Reelection Run

He’s been chastised by Democratic Party leaders, seen old allies jump ship, had his own children express doubts that he should run for reelection and now confronted news stories that he has privately told colleagues he’ll probably retire. But Rep. Gary A. Condit (D-Ceres) insisted Friday he still has not made up his mind.

“Media reports today stating that Congressman Condit has reached his decision regarding his 2002 campaign are inaccurate,” said a statement issued by his Washington office. “No such decision has been made.”

Condit’s denial of retirement plans came after the Washington Post reported Friday that he had indicated to colleagues he likely would step aside at the end of his current term next year.

Democratic aides close to the six-term congressman said Friday that he told them he has had no conversations about his reelection plans with other House members.

Even so, nearly everyone in Washington sees little political future for Condit, whose involvement with 24-year-old Chandra Levy--the intern who has been missing since early May--has led to virtually round-the-clock coverage of his every move by cable news channels and the tabloids.

And speculation has been rampant both in Washington and Sacramento that Condit is backing off plans to try to hold on to his congressional seat.

“I believe he’s made the decision he’s not going to run for reelection,” said one Democratic consultant who has talked to Condit’s staff.

The consultant, who requested anonymity, said Condit realizes his widely panned interview with ABC’s Connie Chung last month was a “huge mistake.” In that broadcast, Condit repeatedly refused to describe the nature of his relationship with Levy and was later criticized for a lack of candor.

Perhaps more important, the consultant said, are worries his family has raised about another congressional run. While staunchly defending their father--and insisting he should not resign now--Condit’s children, Chad, 34, and Cadee, 26, have expressed concerns publicly about the toll taken on him by the intense media scrutiny.

But Condit has made it clear he would like to leave on his own terms--without being forced, for instance, to give up his position on the sensitive House Intelligence Committee, according to Democratic aides.

“He certainly doesn’t want to be pushed out,” said one Democratic leadership aide. “He’d like to find a way out gracefully.”

Cadee Condit, in an interview on CNN’s “Larry King Live” earlier this week, said she had mixed feelings about a reelection bid, saying she wouldn’t want him to run again if he had lost his “spark.”

“I’m torn. As his constituent, I would hate to see his style of politics go.” But she conceded her mother would “probably not” be in favor of another run for Congress.

A few days earlier, her brother, Chad, told King unequivocally that he thought going through another election wouldn’t be worth it.

“My family vote would be that he doesn’t,” Chad Condit said, adding that he himself had abandoned plans for a political career. “I don’t think he deserves this. I don’t think my mom deserves this. But [another run] will be decided in the next few weeks.”

Both Condit children quit high-paying jobs in Gov. Gray Davis’ office last week to protest criticism of their father by Davis, who had been a longtime family friend and political ally.

This week, Condit returned to Washington to face Capitol Hill colleagues for the first time since he spoke publicly about the Levy case in interviews given during the August recess. The reviews, however, were harsh, with Democrats--most prominently Davis and House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri--publicly scolding Condit for lacking “candor.”

Until then, most of his fellow Democrats had reserved comment about Condit. While California Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer had questioned his behavior and public silence on the Levy matter, many more in the party--including Gephardt--said they were waiting to hear Condit’s side of the story.

With Democrats hoping to take control of the closely divided House in 2002, the matter of Condit’s political future has been sensitive.

Before his recent troubles, Condit appeared politically invulnerable in his conservative-leaning district. While Democratic leaders acknowledge that is no longer the case, they do not want Condit to be forced to resign--which would clear the way for a Republican to possibly win the seat in a special election and presumably make it harder to elect another Democrat next year.

The statewide redistricting plan recently unveiled would strengthen the seat for Democrats--at the same time weakening Condit’s longtime support by adding many new constituents.

In other developments Friday, officials in Stanislaus County said a 19-member civil grand jury reached a decision Thursday night on whether to investigate claims Condit obstructed justice by allegedly asking flight attendant Anne Marie Smith to deny they had an affair.

Marnie Ardis, the county employee who oversees the panel, said the decision will not be made public. She said the panel does not have the authority to indict Condit on criminal charges.

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Times staff writers Mark Z. Barabak and Janet Hook contributed to this story.