It's a grueling process in the best of circumstances but must be that much more difficult for a dedicated father with young children. When you add up all of the various factors, if funding was a problem and odds of success seemed too low, I can see where somebody in his position would decide that all of their time and energy as a family might be best spent in other ways.

And maybe as a public servant he was trying to be pragmatic too. He's a class act with a lot to offer and I really do hope he'll have a role where he can make a meaningful impact on the issues that matter most to him.