Former City Councilwoman Deborah Gaines has dropped out of the race for the District 4 seat on the Hamilton County Commission, saying it is “not the time to run.”
“I am announcing that I will be withdrawing my candidacy for county commissioner of District 4,” Ms. Gaines said in a news release.
Ms. Gaines, Chattanooga’s first black councilwoman, announced in February that she was running in the District 4 race against sitting County Commissioner Warren Mackey. She would have faced Dr. Mackey in the May 4 Democratic primary.
“My focus will continue to be on Hamilton County’s future, and in the meantime I will continue in whatever way I can to help build a successful future for District 4 of Hamilton County,” she said.
Ms. Gaines joined the Chattanooga City Council in 2006 after a special election but decided not to run for re-election to the seat in 2008.