Guerrero told WHQR that he was disappointed but had no choice but to drop out.
"I had some unforeseen circumstances that caused me to have to pull out. I tried every avenue I possibly could to get a workaround, but there was none. I didn't want to do this as a lot of hard work was going into this race, but it was out of my control," he said.
Guerrero was one of four Republican-endorsed candidates running for council, alongside incumbent Luke Waddell and challengers Richard Collier and Kelly Roberts.
The New Hanover County GOP had endorsed Waddell, Collier, and Guerrero. Party chairman John Hinnant said the executive committee has not yet decided if it will shift its endorsements after Guerrero’s withdrawal from the race.
Despite withdrawing, Guerrero‘s name will still appear on the ballot, according to the New Hanover County Board of Elections.
Early voting for the 2025 elections begins on October 16, and Election Day is Tuesday, November 4. You can find more on the upcoming municipal elections here.