Democratic State House candidate James Hart is dropping out of the House District 33 race.
Work in Sitka prevented him from campaigning for the legislature, Hart said, and he didn’t want to draw votes away from candidates who he felt would be best for the position. It’s too late for him to officially withdraw from the primary, but now that early voting started, Hart said he wants voters to know he’s out of the running.
“The goal is to get the right people in the right positions,” Hart said. “It’s not about me personally. It’s making sure the ideas moving forward are good ideas and that the people in these positions are going to make healthy decisions in our region.”
Hart wouldn’t comment on who he wants to see fill a seat.
Remaining candidates include Tom Morphet of Haines, and Sara Hannan and Steve Handy of Douglas.
Hart serves on the Chilkoot Indian Tribal Council and is a delegate of the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes.
Hart said he’s considering running for borough assembly, but wants to see who else is running before he officially files.