Ron Littlefield
Joe Lance
Rob Healy

Former Chattanooga Parks and Recreation administrator Rob Healy said Monday he might drop his bid to run for city mayor.

Mr. Healy said he has not been able to get his campaign together as quickly as he hoped. It takes a considerable organization to run an effective campaign, including getting financing and organizing a staff, he said.

“I’m seriously evaluating whether I can do all that or not,” Mr. Healy said.

He will announce his decision within the next few days after meeting with supporters, friends and family, he said.

Mr. Healy sued the Hamilton County Election Commission in October after being told he could not run for the city’s top post because he did not live within the city limits one year before the qualifying deadline of Dec. 18. A Chancery Court judge ruled in November that the city’s charter states a candidate needs to live in the city one year prior to the date of election and said Mr. Healy should be allowed to run for the March 3 municipal election.

Mr. Healy admitted Monday that the court case set his campaign back. He said he has yet to raise any money.

“I’ve got to get an organization to get there, and I’m not there yet,” he said.

The qualifying deadline for mayoral and City Council candidates is Thursday.

In the meantime, Mayor Ron Littlefield and political blogger Joe Lance also have qualified for the mayoral race. Friends of Mr. Littlefield held a $150 dinner for him last week at the Mountain City Club, while Mr. Lance kicked off his race at the Brainerd Recreation Center.

Mr. Lance said he is in the process of naming a campaign staff, including a campaign manager and press secretary, before Christmas. He said he has raised some money but did not know the amount.

Mr. Littlefield said he also was in the process of getting his campaign headquarters settled and beginning to raise money. He said he believes he has about $150,000 in his coffers, but he said he would rather not raise do heavy fundraising in this campaign season.

“I hate to see a lot of money spent on campaigns; it can be better spent on other things,” he said. “I really don’t think the people of Chattanooga are in the mood to see an expensive, divisive, negative campaign, and that’s the only thing that can cost a lot of money.”

Mr. Lance said he did not intend to run a negative campaign.

“I want to see a different campaign,” he said. “Something more positive.”