One of the two students seeking public office in this year’s election has decided not to run after all.Nicholas Clark, 24, announced last week that he is stepping out of the race for Bowling Green City Commission, but he vows to help roommate Joseph Southworth in his quest for a seat on the commission. Clark, a sophomore from Dowgiac, Mich., made his decision after the two candidates met with students and faculty from the political science department, who plan to serve as a staff for the students’ campaigns. It was discussed at the meeting that with both students running, the two would be campaigning against each other for financial resources and votes, Southworth and Clark said last week. Morehead senior Samantha Davis, Southworth’s campaign manager, said both candidates pledged to aid each other if either of the two dropped out of the race. “Nick is certainly going to be helping us,” she said. Davis said Southworth, a 22-year-old freshman from Dowgiac, Mich., is now focusing on developing a campaign platform. “We’re going through, letting Joe look at Bowling Green issues, getting prepared for the campaign,” she said. Saundra Ardrey, head of the political science department, is giving Davis and others on Southworth’s staff – students of hers – advice on running the campaign. Ardrey and the staff discussed last week ways to bring in votes for Southworth, like holding on-campus voter drives, and talked about strategy for winning the race. The Southworth camp is expected to focus on getting votes on campus before looking at the city.”We want to get name recognition and work on getting issues out,” Southworth said last week. With Clark dropping out of the race, it brings the number of candidates running for a commission seat to nine. A primary will be held in May with the top eight vote getters moving on to the general election in November. The top four in that race will be serve as the next City Commission. Reach Joshua Coffman at [email protected].