Shelby County District Attorney General Bill Gibbons dropped out of the race for governor today.
At a press conference in Nashville, Mr. Gibbons said his campaign for the GOP nomination failed to raise enough money. It needed about $2.5 million, he said, "fell short of that goal."
Still in the GOP race are Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam and U.S. Rep Zach Wamp. The two Democratic candidates are former state House majority leader Kim McMillan and Jackson businessman Mike McWherter.
"I would like to commend Bill Gibbons," said Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Chris Devaney. "Since announcing his candidacy, Bill has enriched the debate on a number of important issues such as revitalizing our troubled economy, improving our schools, and working to make our state a safer place for Tennessee families."
Mr. Gibbons has not endorsed any of the other candidates and today strongly encouraged them to come to Shelby County to learn about the problems of Memphis, Tennessee's largest city.
For complete details, see tomorrow's Times Free Press.