Jim Rex Won’t Run Again For Education Superintendent

South Carolina Education Superintendent Jim Rex said Thursday he won’t seek a second term.

Rex says his decision won’t be impacted by whether he decides to run for governor in 2010.

Rex issued a Twitter message Thursday morning that read “will not seek re-election as State Superintendent of Education, regardless of decision to run for Governor.“

On his Facebook page, Rex issued the following statement:

“I have decided that I will not seek re-election to the Office of State Superintendent of Education in 2010, regardless of whether or not I decide to run for Governor. It is clear from my time in this office that there is a limit to what we can accomplish to move South Carolina’s schools and our state forward so long as we do not have someone in the Governor’s office who is making education, jobs, and economic development the top priorities of this state. I am in the final stages of making a decision about whether or not to offer myself to South Carolinians to be that kind of Governor – a “turnaround” Governor – or whether to return to the private sector and continue to work to make a difference there. Sue and I appreciate the support and encouragement we have received as we have moved around the state in these last few weeks, and I look forward to a final decision very soon.“

If he decides to make a run for governor, he’ll join other Democrat gubernatorial candidates state Sen. Vincent Sheheen of Camden, state Sen. Robert Ford of Charleston, Columbia attorney and lobbyist Dwight Drake, Charleston lawyer Mullins McLeod and Charleston pastor Amos Elliott according to The Times-Democrat.

Rex took the oath of office as South Carolina’s 16th State Superintendent of Education on January 10, 2007.