Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin announced in a video released Tuesday afternoon that she will not be seeking a third term.
Baldwin revealed that she was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer last year, and that the surgery and follow-up radiation she received was successful. She said that she did not need chemotherapy.
“The experience made me stronger and quite frankly, made me even more determined to run again,” Baldwin said. “There’s a reason why people call me a ‘warrior.’ But then life happened – more life.”
Baldwin went on to share that her husband, Jim, had open heart surgery and a follow-up surgery due to complications. Her dog, Jack Bauer, was hospitalized the week of his 14th birthday.
“These events made life even more stressful, leading me to wonder how much more I could take. My heart and my head were in conflict,” Baldwin said.
Baldwin said that she wanted to follow her heart and run for reelection, but that her head was telling her to devote her energy to herself and her family, and “to find other ways to serve.” She then announced that she will be taking on a new job as the executive director of the Cooper Charitable Foundation, which she said would allow her to pursue her passion for helping people find stable and affordable housing.
Baldwin has served for 15 years on the Raleigh City Council and became mayor in 2019. Her term ends in December.
Meanwhile, several people have already announced plans to run for Raleigh Mayor, including North Carolina State University professor Terrance Ruth, who ran against Baldwin in 2022, current city council member Corey Branch, and former state treasurer Janet Cowell. Others in the race include Delmonte Crawford, Paul Fitts, and James Shaughnessy.
Sascha Cordner contributed to this report.
