Sumpter Drops Out of Council Race
Democrat Charles Sumpter says he is stepping away from the race for city council because of an illness in his family.
Democrat Charles Sumpter is dropping out of the race for Alexandria City Council because of an illness in his family.
“My mom is sick and that’s where my attention needs to be,” Sumpter told Patch. “It’s just not the best time to be at the forefront.”
Sumpter, a West End resident, said he still plans to be involved as a civic activist.
“I’m going nowhere,” he said.
Sumpter announced his candidacy in December. He told Patch then that he wanted to give the West End a voice in City Hall and, if elected, would work toward more fiscally responsible and efficient government. He also said he wanted to make sure development projects in the city moved forward only with community support.
Sumpter is the second candidate to drop out of the City Council race in March. Republican Scott Gordon announced he was resigning from the race on March 6 because of a family health concern.
With Sumpter’s resignation, the field of Democrats running for council shrinks to 12. Incumbents Del Pepper and Paul Smedberg are seeking re-election. Former councilmembers Tim Lovain and Justin Wilson are looking to return to office. The other challengers are John Chapman, Melissa Feld, Donna Fossum, Michael Hepburn, Sean Holihan, Arthur Peabody, Allison Silberberg and Boyd Walker.
The Democrats will select six candidates to be placed on the November ballot in a primary now officially scheduled for June 12.
