Source: Paige Boyd / Paige Boyd
After serving the City of Durham as its Mayor for two years, Elaine O’Neal has announced that she will not seek re-election.
In a statement received by ABC11 on Thursday, Mayor O’Neal says that she is looking to shift her focus from the city to her family.
“Serving the people and the city I love dearly as Mayor has been an honor. My love for Durham and its citizens has never wavered, and it never will. However, at this time in my life, my attention has shifted to prioritizing my family. Therefore, I will not seek another term.”
Nate Baker, who is on the Durham Planning Commission and is running for city council, believes that recent conflict on the council may have played a role in Mayor O’Neal’s decision.
“There’s little doubt right now that that the political dynamics on council are extremely challenging,” said Baker. “And I think that just took its toll on her. I think that she decided that there were things that she could do outside of being mayor, outside of council that were better worth her time.”
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Mayor O’Neal’s decision comes amid that turmoil, as well as an active extortion investigation into councilor Monique Holsey-Hyman. However, Mayor Pro Tem Mark-Anthony Middleton says that the decision isn’t about that.
“She’s got a lot of experience and a lot of service under her belt,” he said. “I’m not going to begrudge her or second guess one bit. If she says she wants to be with family, she’s earned it. And we should just take it at face value.”
READ MORE FROM ABC11 HERE
Durham Mayor Elaine O’Neal Not Seeking Re-Election was originally published on foxync.com
