Annette Carter, chair of the Gaston County School Board, has dropped her bid to replace retiring state Sen. David Hoyle, D-Gaston, in the state Senate.
Her departure is bad news for Democrats, since Hoyle’s seat is considered the most vulnerable to a Republican challenger. (Read Carolina Journal‘s coverage of the GOP’s primary fight in Hoyle’s district here.)
The Gaston Gazette has details on the development:
The Democratic candidate said she is dropping out of the race due to mobility problems stemming from a fall at her home six weeks ago. The fall left her limping, and after doctor?s visits and physical therapy, she still experiences pain and difficulty walking.
?There comes a time in life when you simply can?t do the things you want to do,? Carter said in a statement. ?It would not be fair to conduct a campaign when I am not physically able to attend events and fully participate as a candidate should.?
Carter said her injury has made it ?impossible to campaign? and said the next several months would be filled with fundraisers and public events that would require her participation.
The Gaston County Democratic Party will have to recruit a new candidate to run in Carter’s place.