By any measurement, Carl Lewis is one of the greatest Olympic performers of all-time, and it won't be a surprise if his first venture into politics also provides some drama.

Lewis has scheduled a 2 p.m. ET press conference today in New Jersey where he's expected to announce his candidacy for a state Senate seat. Lewis, 49, claimed a record-tying four gold medals in track in 1984 and finished with nine golds after dominating the long jump for more than a decade.

He also set himself apart in the '80s by having an entourage, by often keeping the media at arm's length, and by occasional shows of arrogance.

Much of that is from nearly three decades ago, but it will be interesting to see whether Lewis can make the transition from being an oft-aloof sports icon to a populist candidate who can freely address political issues.

He will run as a Democrat in the 8th Legislative District, which the Newark Star-Ledger says leans Republican. Lewis grew up in New Jersey but in recent years has lived mostly in Los Angeles and Houston.

After winning his final Olympic gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics Lewis had hoped to launch an acting career. That never really gained traction, as this clip from Get My Money shows. (The dialogue is XXX-rated and racially offensive, and one has to guess that Lewis' opponent, incumbent Dawn Addiego, might use it to her advantage.)