Richardson said he considered his relationship with Clintons before entering race

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, a Democrat, said he briefly considered not running against Senator Hillary Clinton for president because of his relationship with her husband.

Richardson said he will file papers to form a presidential exploratory committee today. Before becoming governor, Richardson was propelled by President Clinton into national prominence by being nominated as US Secretary of Energy and as the country’s United Nations Ambassador. Before those appointments Richardson was a New Mexico congressman.

In a phone interview, Richardson said he was extremely grateful for the opportunities Clinton gave him and they remain friends, but that he is his own man now.

“[The Clinton relationship] crossed my mind early on in the fall,” said Richardson. “I decided that my very strong relationship was with him, not so much with her, although she is a friend also. More importantly my experience and my background have crystallized as governor. I feel like I came on my own as governor.”