David Knecht, who was one of three candidates challenging Councilman Steve Turley in citywide District 2, said he is not in a position to serve at this time. However, Knecht did endorse former Fire Chief Coy Porter.

"If no one had come out, I wouldn't have let him go unchallenged," Knecht said of Turley. But after interviewing Porter and Christoper Stowe, he decided that Porter was the better candidate to take on Turley.

Porter said he appreciated Knecht's decision to endorse him. He said he worked with Knecht on the council, and respects him.

Turley said Knecht's decision was not a surprise, and he welcomed Knecht's departure from the race.

"Dave was already determined to run, from his own admission, a negative campaign," Turley said. "I welcome the opportunity to have a more focused and less dirty campaign."

Knecht said that while he likes Turley as a person, he has had problems with him as a council member. Among his complaints are that Turley was too sympathetic to developers' interests and that he was turning into a career politician.

Turley disputed those claims, noting that he was only seeking a second term on the council, just as Knecht was doing. Knecht served on the council from 2002-2006, and has also been a neighborhood chairman.

Turley said the only development he has been personally involved in was the rezoning of his own home and an adjoining property.

The other candidate in the race, Stowe, said Knecht's departure and endorsement of Porter changes nothing in the campaign.

"My message remains the same: If you walk away from council meetings happy, and put down the newspaper happy, then vote for the other guys. If you're not, then vote for me," Stowe said.