BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Bowling Green Mayor Bruce Wilkerson announced his withdrawal from the mayoral race Tuesday.

What You Need To Know

  • Bowling Green mayor pulls out of mayoral campaign

  • Bruce Wilkerson says he needs to concentrate on his health

  • Todd Alcott is the only other candidate on the ballot

  • Wilkerson has thrown his support to Alcott

Mayor since 2011, the news shocked many community and political leaders, including City Commissioner Brian "Slim" Nash. 

 

“I still continue to be shocked about it, I don’t know that the shocking feeling for me has worn off,” said Nash. 

Wilkerson announced his withdrawal at city hall, saying he needed to take time to focus on his health. Not always seeing eye to eye on political issues, Nash says he hopes he understands the importance of health and hopes it is something that he can work through. 

“He’s passionate about being the Bowling Green mayor, so I think it had to be a difficult decision, but I think when your health is involved, health has to outweigh everything else,” says Nash. 

In 2021, Bowling Green will introduce a new mayor for the first time in a decade. Wilkerson endorsed the only mayoral candidate on the ballot, Todd Alcott. Alcott is a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who now works with the ROTC program at South Warren High School. Nash says even though he is stepping away from the race, his legacy will live on in leadership. 

“Bruce’s legacy as it comes to Bowling Green is leadership. I think that he seems himself as a leader, and I think that he embodies being a leader,” says Nash. 

Todd Alcott is the only candidate on the ballot, but Tom Morris is running for the seat as a write-in candidate.