John Wood, a Democratic mayoral hopeful, has dropped out of the race for to be Philadelphia's next mayor, citing an inability to raise enough campaign funds to remain competitive with the rest of the pack.
Even though the candidate pulled the No. 1 position on the ballot for the upcoming election, Wood said in a statement released Wednesday, that campaign finances -- and the fact that he entered the race late -- torpedoed his chances at the mayor's office.
"After careful consideration with my family and friends, I have decided to withdraw from the Mayoral race. Even with the #1 ballot position, I cannot compete with the millions of dollars raised so far by the other candidates," Wood said in a statement on his campaign website. "I got into this race later than the other candidates. I understand these circumstances make it difficult for me to continue my run. This was never about me. This was about prioritizing the city’s safety, and I wish the next Mayor luck in pursuing this monumental task."
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Wood spent 31 years as a police officer in Philadelphia. He said that he built his campaign around "making the city safer."
In withdrawing from the race, Wood did not throw his support behind any other candidate. Though he noted that many of the candidates agreed with his positions on a number of issues.
What Happens Now on the Ballot?
With Wood dropping off May's Democratic primary ballot, Cherelle Parker moves up to the top spot. The Philadelphia City Commissioner's Office confirmed to NBC10 Wednesday that each of the remaining 11 Democrats will move up one spot.
The candidate Democrats pick in May will face Republican David Oh -- who is running unopposed -- in November's election.
