Bill Malone, the Republican candidate in the Goshen mayor’s race announced this week he is pulling out of the contest.
WVPE was unable to reach Malone by phone to discuss his decision, but in a statement provided to other media outlets, Malone said his withdrawal is due to increased work commitments.
Malone is vice president of Gleason Industrial Products and won his party’s nomination handily over fellow Republican William Gard.
Goshen Republicans will now have to caucus by mid-August to choose a replacement for Malone to face Democrat Gina Leichty in the general election. Leichty, herself, wascaucused into her position by Goshen Democrats in May following former Mayor Jeremy Stutsman stepping down from the role.
As of early Friday afternoon, Elkhart County Clerk Chris Anderson said Malone had not officially filed paperwork indicating his withdrawal. If Malone does not submit the requisite paperwork by noon on Monday, Anderson said, he will remain on the ballot.
Malone’s announcement also comes after the Elkhart Truth reported that an Elkhart County judge ruled against him this week in a zoning dispute over a proposed apartment complex near Gleason’s plant.
In 2022, Malone filed a complaint alleging Goshen's city council violated its own procedural rules by granting a zoning change weeks after it denied the developer's proposal. The area, near 620 East Douglas Street, is now zoned for mixed-use residential as opposed to industrial.
At a public meeting in June 2022, Malone indicated the change in zoning would cause logistical headaches for his business.
