Harlem Pastor Drops Out of Mayor's Race, Will Run For Comptroller

HARLEM, NY — One of the first challengers to declare his candidacy for New York City's mayoral election has dropped out of the race. Harlem pastor and one-time New York Jets player Michel Faulkner has decided to run for Comptroller instead.

Faulkner is deciding to run for Comptroller, instead of Mayor, to bring new financial leadership to New York City and end current "tax-and-spend" policies, he said.

"New York City needs new financial leadership to end the unsustainable tax-and-spend policies that are making the city unaffordable for many of our citizens and putting the Big Apple at risk of financial distress," Faulkner said in a statement.

"I have spent the last two and a half years meeting voters and critiquing the de Blasio administration. I now intend to run a vigorous general election campaign from Comptroller against Scott Stringer."

Faulkner is the only republican who has declared candidacy for the office of Comptroller, which means he is likely guaranteed the nomination to run against Stringer in the general election. Faulkner was previously running against real estate executive Paul Massey, State Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, and former presidential candidate Rocky de la Fuente for the Republican nomination for Mayor.

Learn more about Michel Faulkner here.

Photo via Kings County Politics