Ashland Mayor Gene Rohrer said Monday he could not complete the work of the city’s largest infrastructure project in history and run for county commission at the same time.

Rohrer suspended his campaign in the Southern District Boone CountyCommission race with a written statement.

“My first responsibility is to the City of Ashland,”Rohrer wrote.

“I am still working on contractual agreements and those agreements will not be finished by the end of the county commission campaign like I had hoped. These agreements will certainly change the future of Ashland. The right thing for me to do is to complete my obligations.” Rhorer added, “I would like to thank all thiose who supported me.”

Rohrer had not campaigned heavily and was not in attendance at the Boone County Farm Bureau event on Friday in Columbia.

By Rohrer dropping out, the Democratic ticket in the race to replace Karen Miller will look to be between Ted Farnen and political newcomer Brianna Lennon. Trevor Fowler, who is a deputy sheriff and the School Resource Officer at southern Boone, could be labeled the dark horse and could swing the race if he picks up enough votes in Ashland and Southern Boone.

Rohrer is still working to negotiate sewer contracts with the City’s of Columbia and the Ashland Baptist Home.

Larry Potterfield and Hummingbird Properties have begun the process of laying sewer pipe for development on 478 acres in front of the Columbia Regional Airport and Rt. H.