Lone GOP candidate withdraws from Cleveland’s mayoral race

CLEVELAND (AP) — The lone Republican candidate seeking to become Cleveland’s next mayor has withdrawn from the race after he failed to get the required number of signatures on his nominating petitions.

Cuyahoga County Board of Elections spokesman Mike West confirmed Landry Simmons’ exit on Monday. That leaves seven candidates — all Democrats — who will face off in the Sept. 14 primary, with the two top vote-getters meeting in the Nov. 2 general election.

Simmons was unable to come up with the required 3,000 valid signatures needed to compete in the race to succeed Mayor Frank Jackson, who announced last month that he would not seek a fifth four-year term. Jackson is the longest-serving mayor in Cleveland history, and the race to succeed him is considered wide open. It will be the first mayor’s race without an incumbent since 2001.

The candidates are Council President Kevin Kelley, Councilman Basheer Jones, State Sen. Sandra Williams, former Mayor Dennis Kucinich, former Councilman Zack Reed, nonprofit executive Justin Bibb and attorney Ross DiBello.