SALT LAKE CITY – The list of candidates for Salt Lake City Mayor just got a little bit shorter, as Wednesday State Senator Jim Dabakis dropped out less than two weeks after announcing he was running.
Dabakis posted to Facebook Wednesday morning that he would be meeting for coffee with fellow candidate Jackie Biskupski to discuss the race. Then, hours later, he stated he was leaving the race because, “…This election is too important to have two progressive candidates fighting for votes, dollars and volunteers.”
Dabakis then threw his support behind Biskupski, who is a former member of the Utah House of Representatives.
"She convinced me that she will be a great candidate for mayor, that she can raise the money, that she's got the organizational ability,” Dabakis told FOX 13 News. “And then, she appealed to my ego. She said, ‘You know, the Senate needs you as we talk about nuclear waste and getting Healthy Utah done.’ So, I said, ‘Alright, I'm out.’"
Dabakis said that all the money raised for his run thus far will be returned for donors.
In response to this decision, Biskupski thanked Dabakis for his support and said she is looking forward to winning this race.
The pair issued a joint statement via Dabakis’ Facebook page, click here for that post.
