Council candidate withdraws from race for District 7 seat

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Feb 4, 2009

The Capital-Journal

Topekan Craig Gunther said Tuesday he is dropping out of the race for southwest Topeka's District 7 seat on the city council.

Gunther, 30, of 3559 S.W. Willow Brook Lane, said he decided the timing wasn't right for him to seek the seat.

"It was kind of a last-minute decision to run anyway," he said.

Gunther's decision decreases the number of candidates who are campaigning for the District 7 seat to three.

Those are Robert E. Archer, 61, of 3522 S.W. Westport Court; Beth Cooper, 46, of 3225 S.W. Skyline Drive; and Lisa Stubbs, 47, of 6026 S.W. 36th, who represented District 7 on the council from 2001 to 2005.

Shawnee County election commissioner Elizabeth Ensley said Gunther's name will remain on the ballot for the city's March 3 primary election, in which the number of candidates in District 7 will be officially narrowed to three. Ensley said candidates needed to withdraw before the filing deadline of noon on Jan. 27 to avoid having their name on the primary election ballot.

The top three vote-getters in the District 7 primary will face off in the general election on April 7.