Ben Meyers, a former University of Florida student body president who is currently an at-large member of the Alachua County Democratic Executive Committee, announced this week that he has decided to withdraw from the Gainesville City Commission race for the At-large Seat 1 spot.
There are still four other candidates who have filed to run, although the qualifying period for candidates doesn’t start until January 26, according to the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections website.
In a statement Meyers emailed to The Sun that also went out to his supporters, he wrote he had decided to end his campaign and wanted to explain his reasoning.
Gainesville has been his home since 2008 and was where his parents met 30 years ago, so its future is important to him. He decided to run for office because of his love for the city and his desire to serve.
“However, an important part of my commitment to you, and to myself, is to run a campaign based on the principles in which I firmly believe. I believe that the right course rarely leads to ideological extremes. I believe in compromise over gridlock, and in pragmatism over partisanship,” he wrote. “Particularly since the November mid-term elections, I have witnessed a sharp move to the extremes. My more moderate views now earn me increased criticism. To be sure, embracing positions with which I don’t agree would enhance my chances of winning this election. But that is a cost I am unwilling to pay.”
Meyers — the youngest candidate who has filed to run in this particular city race so far — stated he knows moderate views will eventually help unite the local community, but now is not that time.
He also promised his service wouldn’t end even though his campaign is. He plans to continue serving the community in other ways and called for people to work together to help Gainesville and its citizens prosper.
“Beyond that, the issues we face, from local to national, require leaders who sheath their swords, rise above the fray, and work for the betterment of the people,” he wrote. “It remains my goal to be one of those leaders.”
He brought his statement to a close by thanking his supporters for helping him in his bid for office financially as well as by giving their time to his campaign, which will be refunding all the monetary contributions it received.
Meyers has raised $14,083 to date, according to his November campaign finance report.