Again, that’s his word, not mine. When he announced his run, Kristof suggested that, “precisely because I have a great job, outstanding editors and the best readers, I may be an idiot to leave” the New York Times. And then he left anyway, without checking whether he was eligible to seek the role.

Which he wasn’t. Here’s the Post:

The Oregon Supreme Court has ruled that former New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, who in October announced a Democratic campaign for Oregon governor, cannot appear on the state’s primary ballot in May, agreeing with the Oregon secretary of state that Kristof does not meet the constitutional residency requirements to serve.
Kristof, who had vowed to challenge the secretary of state’s decision last month, said he accepted the court’s decision Thursday and would not pursue the matter further, ending his campaign.
“The Supreme Court has spoken. And while we are disappointed in the decision, we respect its ruling and thank the justices for their thoughtful consideration on this matter,” Kristof said in a statement.

“Thoughtful consideration.” Now there’s an idea!

Evidently, working at the New York Times for as long as he did had given Kristof the false impression that America’s courts exist to be nice to people of whom they approve — or, perhaps, to give in to West Wing–style speeches if they consider their rhetoric to be sufficiently moving. Having been told that he wasn’t eligible, Kristof’s lawyer argued that he should be allowed to run “because he had graduated from high school in Oregon, long maintained property there, frequently returned, and considered it his home.” In response to which the Oregon Supreme Court was forced to explain that its role was “not to evaluate the depth of [Kristof’s] emotional connection to Oregon or whether he was sufficiently ‘Oregonian’; rather, the case required the Court to decide two legal questions.”

Those being straightforward, Kristof was deemed to be ineligible. I look forward to his first column once he has been taken back by the Times: “Why Now Is the Time to Pack the Oregon Supreme Court.”