Mayor still not campaigning

Although the Independence Party issued a call over the weekend urging residents to vote for Rochester Mayor Thomas S. Richards, the mayor issued a statement reiterating that his campaign has ended.

City Council President Lovely A. Warren defeated Richards in a Democratic primary election Sept. 10, but he remains on the November ballot with the Independence and Working Families lines. Green Party candidate Alex White also is on the ballot for the general election.

Richards announced in September that he was ending his campaign for re-election because of personal circumstances that demanded his attention. That continues to be true following the passing last month of his son Matthew, Richards said in a statement.

“At the time of my announcement, I also stated that I was not going to entertain political speculation. That also continues to be true,” Richards said. “Since that time, I have been concentrating my time on my family and on my job as mayor. I have not had any conversations with any political party leader regarding the mayoral election.”