Minneapolis Mayor R.T. RybakâÄôs re-election may have become a little easier. Considered to be RybakâÄôs greatest challenger for mayor and the DFL-endorsed candidate, Bob Miller announced Wednesday that he is suspending his campaign to focus on family health concerns. âÄúAlthough I would have liked to vigorously continue this effort, changes in my family situation have made it impossible for me to put forth the time and effort that this campaign deserves,âÄù Miller said in a statement.
MillerâÄôs mother and wife have both been suffering from serious health issues, and campaign manager John Schultz said Miller has an obligation to his family and his job as director of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program. âÄúThe campaigning was just running on a short stick, and it doesnâÄôt work when you run on a short stick,âÄù Schultz said. Schultz said Miller could continue campaigning down the road, but he is no longer actively campaigning for the DFL endorsement. City Council President Barbara Johnson said this is the first time she has seen this situation arise in a local election, but she said family priorities should always come first. While MillerâÄôs suspension could make RybakâÄôs seat safer, Johnson said she had expected Rybak to be reelected prior to this announcement. âÄúI think R.T. is a successful mayor, and itâÄôs really hard to run against an incumbent,âÄù Johnson said. âÄúItâÄôs hard to point out any negative baggage.âÄù But Miller did have support for his campaign, and Nokomis East Neighborhood Association Associate Director Doug Walter said he is disappointed about the possibility of Miller not receiving the endorsement. âÄúI think itâÄôs time for Minneapolis to have a new mayor; I feel that very strongly having worked closely with the city over the last seven years,âÄù Walter said. Walter said he has not been impressed with RybakâÄôs administration since his election in 2001 and thinks itâÄôs time for a change. There is a meeting scheduled for MillerâÄôs supporters Thursday evening, and Walter said he expects Miller to discuss this situation further. âÄúItâÄôs got to be hard on him because I know he really strongly believed in running for mayor,âÄù Walter said. âÄúIt would be a shame if Bob really does drop out although R.T. would probably enjoy running against himself.âÄù
