NATCHEZ — Republican candidate Bob Buie bowed out of the Natchez mayoral race Friday, further narrowing the pool of mayoral candidates to just two.

Buie said he is dropping out of the race for many reasons, namely illness in his family and an overall “disenchantment” with Natchez and the city officials who run it.

“I am just saddened and disheartened by what I see on the board of aldermen,” Buie said. “I just decided that I don’t care how hard I tried or what I could have done, I was never going to be  able to accomplish anything for this town. And I just wanted to serve my hometown.”

Buie said he planned on serving as mayor with no salary, if he was elected. He said now, though, he feels frustration and embarrassment for the lack of decorum and civility on the board of aldermen.

“I was hoping we would get all new (aldermen) in there, but that didn’t happen,” Buie said. “I’ve never seen a bunch of incompetent people like that in my life, and I think I would just be fighting and bickering with them.”

The recent bickering in the Natchez City Council Chambers is not something Buie said he would have put up with as mayor.

“If I was mayor, I would have taken that gavel and beaten that desk to death,” he said. “I’m no spring chicken, and I don’t have to put up with that. I don’t want any part of it.”

Buie, a Natchez native, moved back to Natchez to retire eight years ago. Buie said he never dreamed he would have ever wanted to run for mayor.

But Natchez is no longer a place Buie said he wants to live.

“I’m very bitter with my hometown right now,” he said. “I decided to run for mayor out of love for my hometown, and now I don’t even want people to know I’m from here because our city government is such an embarrassment.”

Buie said he will be moving out of Natchez within a month, but he has not decided where he will move.

Buie was set to face Democrat Larry L. “Butch” Brown and independent Bill Furlow in the June 5 general election.

Natchez City Clerk Donnie Holloway said Buie’s name would still appear on the ballot because the absentee ballots have already been printed.

Brown said Buie’s concession is one less candidate he has to worry about in election, but he said Buie has been a good opponent.

“If you have to have an opponent, Mr. Buie was good one to have,” Brown said. “He has not done anything negative toward me, as these other candidates have done in the past, and I wish him the best.”

Furlow said he believes Buie’s decision to withdraw was the right decision for Buie personally.

“I think it clarifies the race now, in that now it’s simply between Butch Brown and me, but I very much wish Mr. Buie the best,” Furlow said.