Thursday, July 25, 2013
Retired Police Chief Jimmy Hughes drops out of mayor’s race
YOUNGSTOWN — Retired Police Chief Jimmy Hughes said he is withdrawing as a candidate for mayor and will support DeMaine Kitchen, the mayor’s chief of staff/secretary and also an independent, for the job.
Hughes’ decision was first reported in today’s edition of The Vindicator.
Hughes said he approached Kitchen about getting out of the race and supporting his candidacy about a week ago.
“The reality of the situation is that two qualified independent candidates running in this election, the chances of either of us being elected is greatly diminished,” Hughes said.
Kitchen also acknowledged that he and Hughes, who are both black, would split the minority vote in the general election if both remained candidates.
Hughes said he’ll formally withdraw shortly.
That would leave Kitchen; Democrat John A. McNally IV, a former city law director and Mahoning County commissioner; Frank Bellamy, who’s lost citywide races in 2009 and 2011; and John M. Crea, running for elected office for the first time, as the remaining candidates. The latter two are independents.
For the complete story, read Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com