Cohen Blasts Giannoulias

Chicago - Former Democratic lieutenant governor nominee Scott Lee Cohen said bowing out of the race under pressure is something he'll regret "for the rest of my life."

"If I had it to do over again, I might have stayed in," Cohen said during an interview recorded for "FOX Chicago Sunday."

Cohen, the real estate developer and pawnshop owner whose victory in the Democratic primary embarrassed party bosses, also refused to rule out running as a third party candidate for statewide office in 2010.

"Only two things are certain in life ... death and taxes," Cohen told interviewers Jeff Goldblatt and Dane Placko.

Cohen won the February 2nd election largely on the strength of a self-financed advertising campaign focusing on his network of job fairs for unemployed people in Illinois. After his victory over a field that included several state lawmakers, media reports focused in on several embarrassing personal episodes, including an allegation of domestic violence against an ex-girlfriend, delinquent child support payments and allegations of steroid use.

After defiantly saying he would not step down, he got a phone call from state Democratic party chair Mike Madigan, who's also the speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. He eventually withdrew as the nominee in an emotional press conference five days after the primary. On FOX Chicago Sunday, Cohen said Madigan was "a gentleman" and did not threaten him to get out of the race.

When Placko asked if he'd been threatened by other people, Cohen responded, "No comment at this time."

Cohen also had harsh words for U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias, and the process by which his replacement on the ticket was selected.

You can see some of those comments Friday on FOX Chicago News at 9, and on Sunday on FOX Chicago Sunday, starting at 8:30 A.M.