Zina C. Pierre, a virtual unknown in Annapolis politics whose victory in this week's Democratic primary put her on track to become the city's first African-American mayor, withdrew from the race Friday.
Pierre pointed to "personal reasons" for her decision, which came after a day in which the historic capital city buzzed with revelations of her financial problems, including a home in foreclosure, a bounced check and state liens for unpaid income taxes.
The Annapolis Democratic Central Committee must choose a replacement nominee by early October, according to city code. Nick Berry, the chairman, said the group will move "expeditiously" to appoint a nominee.
"We in no way pressured her or gave her advice. We left it up to her," Berry said. "Think how difficult this is for her, after the high of winning the election. This [information] coming out threw a monkey wrench in everything."
Pierre's sudden exit from the race, after her win in a six-way primary in which she noted her national political experience and emphasized change and reform, shocked political leaders.
Pierre, 44, grew up in Annapolis and worked for eight years for the administration of President Bill Clinton, last serving as his special assistant for governmental affairs. The former president's recorded endorsement of her was sent via "robo-calls" to Annapolis residents during the primary.
It was not until after her victory that talk began circulating in Annapolis that Pierre, who has a public relations and lobbying firm called Washington Linkage Group, had a string of financial problems involving her home, car and taxes.
In February, according to court documents, Bank of America began foreclosure proceedings on a townhouse in the Bowie area of Prince George's County that she bought in 2005. The original loan was for $424,800 but was modified in 2008 to increase the principal balance to $443,691, according to foreclosure documents filed in Prince George's County Circuit Court. She stopped making mortgage payments last October, the documents showed.
A year before she purchased the townhouse, she used an Annapolis address to register to vote in Anne Arundel County, according to election records. She changed her address in September 2007 to a newly built apartment tower near downtown.
In April of this year, when a process server went to the Bowie home to serve her with a lawsuit in connection with a bounced check from her corporate account, her father told the process server that she "lived at the residence but was not home at the time," according to court documents.
