After much careful thought and deliberation, I have decided to withdraw my candidacy for the Fourth Assembly District race.

Even though my family, friends, and supporters, in particular my wife, have been supportive of my candidacy, I have decided that the time is not right for me to seek higher office.

I owe this great community a huge debt of gratitude, for the honor and privilege to be able to represent my constituents and the residents of Lake County. I love Lake County, and it is here where I plan to grow old and raise my family.

There are currently many pressing issues confronting our community.

For example, the need to find ongoing revenue to better manage Clear Lake and our watershed; the need to move forward with our Board's current application to secure surface water rights to Clear Lake; my desire to continue to serve on the Marymount University Advisory Committee, and continue to grow this new treasure within our community; the urgency to see that Konocti Resort is reopened; moving forward to upgrade our antiquated infrastructure, in particular the North Lakeport, and Soda Bay water systems; and to complete the $15 million road project in the South Main/Soda Bay corridor which includes the under grounding of utilities, and providing water service, to name a few.

In addition, it is with a great sense of obligation that I finish my current term so that I am able to continue to represent my constituents who have been devastated by the landslide that took place at the Lakeside Heights subdivision in North Lakeport.

While my campaign never began fundraising, we did receive generous donations from individuals and businesses eager to support my candidacy. I thank those individuals, and I will be returning their donations.

I truly hope that in the near future Lake County will have a representative of its own. History has shown that we only see state candidates during an election.

Lake County deserves better – we deserve a candidate who is committed to Lake County at all times, and not just when they are running for office.

Lastly, I want to thank everyone that believed in me, and supported my candidacy. I will forever be grateful for your faith in me.

Anthony Farrington represents District 4 on the Lake County Board of Supervisors. He lives in Lakeport, Calif.