PADUCAH, Ky.---After 31 years of politics, Robert Coleman said he's finished for good and will officially withdraw from the Paducah mayoral election Friday.
The 80-year-old had his sights set on the office of mayor for years, but says he hasn't recovered well from a surgery he had this spring. He said the decision to drop out exactly two months before election day was one of the hardest he's made, and
Supporters and colleagues are disappointed Coleman will never get to achieve his dream.

"It's a situation where I had to take a look at my condition health wise," Coleman said.

He was first elected to City Commission back in 1973, he's won 16 elections since.

He's Paducah's longest serving elected official, on the forefront of civil right's issues, helping the city hire its first black police chief, and first black fire chief.

"When he got elected back in early 70's, there were a lot of things going on at the time and that was a bold move,"  Commissioner Richard Abraham said.

Abraham finds Coleman's career inspiring.

The two served together on the city commission back in the early 2000s.

"He taught me so many things, not necessarily telling me what to do but showing me how to do it through his actions, because I was green man I didn't know anything," Coleman said.

He would've liked to have seen Coleman run for mayor again, especially after losing by such a slim margin 4 years ago.

"He got so close the last time, 48 votes," Abraham said.

That's why the decision to drop out was so difficult, Coleman didn't go into detail about the surgery he had in April, but said he hasn't recovered like he expected. He didn't even feel well enough to do an interview on camera, but over the phone from his home he told me the decision to quit came after being honest with himself.

"Realizing I couldn't be as effective as I believe it would be necessary to be as an elected official, it's heartbreaking it is. I have served 31 years and I think there's a time for everything and it's time for me to move on to something else," Coleman said.

Coleman's departure from the Paducah Mayor's race leaves only Gayle Kaler on the ballot.

We contacted her and she released this statement:
"Mr. Coleman has had to make a tough decision. I respect him and his years of service and I will appreciate his support. I will continue to be out and about listening for community concerns."

As for the other two mayoral candidates who lost in the may primary, Doug Harnice and Charles Ringstaff; the clerk said state statue prohibits them from running as write-in candidates. 
If someone else wants to run, they have to register with the clerk by October 26th.