City Council candidate Melani Buchanan Farmer announced Monday she is withdrawing from the District 9 race, citing personal and family circumstances that require her full attention.
“After much thought and reflection, I have made the very difficult decision to step out of the race for Albuquerque City Council District 9,” Buchanan Farmer said in an email to supporters.
Buchanan Farmer was challenging incumbent Renee Grout and candidate Colton Alan Newman for the District 9 seat.
In her announcement, Buchanan Farmer acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but emphasized that family must come first.
“Anyone who knows me knows that I meet challenges head-on and pour my heart into building stronger communities — but right now, my family needs my full attention,” she wrote.
Buchanan Farmer had garnered notable endorsements during her campaign, including support from various community organizations and local leaders like New Mexico State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard and State Reps. Meredith Dixon and Debbie Sariñana, according to her campaign website.
Buchanan Farmer, who has worked as an educator, community advocate and small business owner, said her commitment to Albuquerque remains unchanged despite stepping back from the race.
“My love and commitment to Albuquerque remain as strong as ever,” Buchanan Farmer wrote. “Public service is part of who I am, and though I am stepping back from this campaign, I will continue working to uplift our city in meaningful ways.”
Farmer thanked volunteers, contributors and supporters who backed her campaign, saying their energy and hope would continue to inspire her work in the community.
“This campaign was about all of us, and the energy and hope you brought to it will continue to inspire me moving forward,” she said.
The District 9 race will proceed with Grout, the incumbent, facing Newman in the Nov. 4 election.