Watch CBS News

Mayor Discusses Decision To Not Seek Re-Election

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Days after announcing she's not running for re-election, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake speaks out about that huge and surprising decision. Why is she leaving without a fight? And will she run for office again?

Those are just some of the questions Mary Bubala asked when they sat down together at City Hall Monday.

"My ambition has always been for my city," Rawlings-Blake said.

In the very conference room where---just three days prior---Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced she's walking away from City Hall without a fight at the end of her term, she explains how she reached that critical decision.

"I'm having this nagging feeling, you know---we have these trials coming up; we have all of these things going on and I really, really felt conflicted," she said.

MB: "Part of it, though---if you are being honest with yourself and with the citizens of Baltimore---is that you really didn't see a clear path to victory in the primary."

SRB: "I have more money in the bank than anybody who's running. I had the best infrastructure that I have had since I've been in citywide office."

MB: "But you also have the fallout of Freddie Gray riots and your response to it."

SRB: "While you say fallout, what I see is a reinforcement of the fact that we moved the city through a very tough time in the right way."

But the mayor was heavily criticized for not being visible enough during the riots. The national media hammered her for not calling in the National Guard soon enough.

MB: "They were really critical of you and you said to me, `I'm not going to let them bring me down.' You were a fighter that moment. Where did that fight go?"

SRB: "I am very sorry that you interpreted what I am doing as giving up because I'm not. I made a very clear decision about what I'm fighting for and I'm fighting to move the city forward."

The mayor has only 15 more months to do that---and she's wasting no time, announcing the nomination of acting Police Commissioner Kevin Davis to the role permanently, saying his focus on reducing homicides is working.

"His response to that spike has really impressed me between the war room and the way he continues to work with leadership of department with community groups---I think we are definitely headed in the right direction," she said.

But that decision could veer off course when a new mayor takes office, with former Mayor Sheila Dixon, Catherine Pugh and Carl Stokes in the race.

MB: "Who do you think should be the next leader of Baltimore?"

SRB: "I don't see any candidates that are talking about running that I would endorse so my focus is on moving the city forward and I certainly am not ruling out further office in the future."

The mayor says she's only taking a pause from politics, keeping the door wide open to higher office at some point. She didn't give any specifics as to when she would run again.

The mayor's term ends in December of next year.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.