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Evans bows out of Phila. mayor's race before he gets in

Well, that flirtation did not last long. Less than month after floating the idea he might run for mayor, State Rep. Dwight Evans on Tuesday said, never mind.

State Rep. Dwight Evans. (Ron Tarver / Staff Photographer)
State Rep. Dwight Evans. (Ron Tarver / Staff Photographer)Read moreRon Tarver / Staff Photographer

Well, that flirtation did not last long.

Less than month after floating the idea he might run for mayor, State Rep. Dwight Evans on Tuesday said, never mind.

Evans, a Democrat who represents the West Oak Lane area of the city, said that after discussions with supporters and Gov.-elect Tom Wolf, he has decided to skip the 2015 mayor contest and stay in the legislature.

"I just spoke to him this weekend," Evans said of Wolf. "After a long talk with him about the future of the city and state, I think I can do more working with him over the next couple of years."

Last month, Evans said he was giving serious consideration to a run after commissioning a poll that showed him running second when weighed against the most likely field of candidates. Only former District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham outpolled the 60-year-old legislator.

At this point, the announced candidates include Abraham, Terry Gillen, former executive director of the Redevelopment Authority, Ken Trujillo, former city solicitor, and State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams.

Evans is actually the second noncandidate to announce they were forgoing a run.

City Controller Alan Butkovitz last month said he was passing on the race after long having been assumed a potential candidate.

Evans, who has twice run unsuccessfully for mayor, said the temptation to mount another campaign was strong, particularly after his poll showed him starting strong.

"I would have had a chance," he said. "But like anything, you have to decide if that is what you really want to do."

The more Evans talked, the more there appeared to be regret over his decision.

"I was looking forward to it," he said. "I didn't talk about it during the governor's race because it would have been a distraction. But I would have loved it. We are at a rather interesting stage with the city."