You really don’t get to see political exits like this very often.
While researching candidates recently, I found the website of Adnan Shahab, a Republican Assembly candidate who had run in 2010 and had filed to run again in 2012. In a statement on his website, Shahab had announced that although he was doubtless the best person to represent the area, he had decided not to run;
“There is still no doubt in my mind that I am the best person to represent Assembly District 20 in Sacramento. But at the same time, I believe the voters in the district are not ready to comprehend the fact that I am exactly the kind of person who they should be electing into office. For now, the majority of the voters in the area seem to be content electing unremarkable people into office.”
Shahab went on to scold the voters for being uninformed, ignorant, and displaying a “disgusting” apathy when it comes to selecting their representatives;
“The vast majority of the people in this area have absolutely no idea what is going on with their elected officials. I condemn the ignorance and apathy on the part of these people, as well as their acceptance of mediocrity in their elected officials. Clearly, I am not the right person to represent these people at this time.”
Shahab’s departure left the contest without a Republican. At the close of the filing period, the candidates in the race included three Democrats and one Independent.