Joe Tuman in 2014?

OAKLAND//MAYOR | Joe Tuman says he’s definitely exploring a run against Oakland Mayor Jean Quan next year. He just isn’t ready to make it official.

“While some important conversations remain, for me this process of exploration is nearing a conclusion,” Tuman said in a statement Monday. “I fully expect to announce a decision about my candidacy in mid-July.”

While noting, “Oakland is a tough city to govern,” Tuman says he has held numerous meetings with community groups and stake holders over the last six months. “Key to my decision about whether to run has been the need to identify and prioritize all the challenges facing Oakland, and more importantly to assess what I could commit to deliver as Mayor in solving these problems.”

Despite the air of hesitancy, Tuman sounds like a likely candidate to oppose Quan re-election campaign in 2014. He finished fourth in 2010 and would join Port of Oakland Commissioner Bryan Parker, who is also exploring a run for mayor. In fact, he more than hinted at his likely conclusion.

“If we’re going to really change Oakland, it’s critical to have a candidate and eventual mayor who gets the details right,” said Tuman, who then added, “I am a detail-oriented person. You’ll have my answer in less than two weeks.”