Chael Sonnen plans to withdraw from the Oregon senate race, according to statements made Tuesday and reported by FIGHT! Magazine.Running unopposed last month, Sonnen won the Republican primaries in Oregon's House District 37, earning him a bid for an Oregon House of Representatives seat against Democratic nominee Will Rasmussen in the general elections this November.
According to Sonnen, the resignation was not due to his his preparations for a title shot against Anderson Silva at UFC 117 in August, nor was it because of recent controversy stemming from his "fake" Twitter account, but instead, a "legal issue."
"In the best interests of my district, I am resigning from my campaign for the Oregon House of Representatives," Sonnen said in a statement. "A 2006 legal issue has arisen that needs my immediate attention. I am not at liberty to disclose the details, but my name was involved in a real estate case that requires a ruling. If the ruling is adverse, I would be disqualified from running for office until 2011.
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"So, given that possibility, I have chosen to withdraw my name as a candidate in 2010. I will continue to contribute to my community and ensure that we have a capable candidate to run for my district in November."
When Sonnen announced his campaign this past February, the 33-year-old middleweight title contender said his focus would be towards "protecting schools and other critical services while creating jobs and bringing more economic security to Oregon families."
Interesting enough, Sonnen promoted himself as a successful realtor, a youth wrestling teacher, a former collegiate wrestler and a vice president of a sports/music promotion company ... but not as a mixed martial artist.
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