Father of reporter killed on live TV ‘long way from’ running for office

The father of a journalist who was shot and killed during a live television broadcast said Friday that he was “a long way” from running for office, after reports surfaced he was considering running for a Virginia congressional seat.

Andy Parker, whose television reporter daughter Alison was killed in 2015, has become a gun control advocate since his daughter’s death. 

His comments come after he told CNN on Thursday that he was mulling a run for the seat currently held by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), who announced his retirement on Thursday. 

“I’m a long way from throwing my hat in the ring. There’s hurdles that I have to consider, which is whether I can be more effective as an advocate to help elect other progressive candidates across the commonwealth and the country versus just one member of Congress,” Andy Parker told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota on “New Day.” 

{mosads}”I’ve got some time to ponder it,” Parker said. 

“I feel like the dog chasing the car and finally caught it,” Parker said, referring to Goodlatte’s retirement. 

“I’m just glad to see the guy is finally going to get out of office,” he continued. 

Alison Parker’s then-boyfriend, former news anchor Christ Hurst, won his race for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates on Tuesday by defeating three-term incumbent Del. Joseph Yost, a Republican.

Hurst ran on a pro-gun control platform.