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Castor Announces Run For Montgomery County District Attorney

By Brad Segall and Walt Hunter

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- Risa Ferman's decision not to run for re-election for a third term as Montgomery County District Attorney has opened the door for a familiar face to go after his former job.

On the heels of Ferman's announcement that she would seek a seat as a judge on the Court of Common Pleas, Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce Castor, 53, has announced his candidacy for DA. Castor says his most satisfying years in county government were spent as the top law enforcement official. Castor served as District Attorney from 2000 to 2008.

"I would certainly bring the same style that I had before of being very hands-on in the field, in the courtroom, making decisions personally," he says. "The public would see me just the way they did all those years I was in office before."

Castor says his intention was to run for another term as commissioner, but when he found out over the weekend that Ferman was not seeing re-election he changed direction. First Assistant District Attorney Kevin Steele has already filed the paperwork to run as a Democrat.

Castor told CBS 3's Walt Hunter in his first television interview on the day he announced his intentions that, "It's no secret, I always loved the job."

It is extremely rare, Castor explained, that any DA, after leaving the office, seeks it a second time. However, he explained, as much as he enjoyed being a commissioner, he has realized his true goal is career prosecutor.

Castor will now seek the backing of the Republican Party and will most likely face current First Assistant DA Kevin Steele who has decided to run as a Democrat. While Democrats are now the majority party in Montgomery County, Castor told Hunter, "I believe that people will say 'Oh yea, I remember that guy he did a good job' and vote for me, regardless of what the party is."

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