Camden mayor won’t seek third term

Camden’s mayor will not seek another term — but she has endorsed a replacement.

After two terms of leading the struggling city, Mayor Dana Redd said Wednesday evening that it’s time to spend more time with her family.

“It has not been a cakewalk, and there were plenty of really long days and nights,” said the Camden native. “But I can honestly say this has really been the most satisfying experience of my life.”

She hinted that she may not be finished with politics.

“It is now time to begin a new journey in my life, one that I am sure, in another capacity, willhelp Camden rise to even more greatness,” she said.

Redd, 49, served on the city council and was a state senator before she was first elected mayor in 2009.

She endorsed Council President Frank Moran’s quest to be the next mayor.

If elected, Moran said he will continue Redd’s work to revitalize the city.

During her time in office, Redd has overseen the dissolution of the Camden Police Department — which was replaced by a county regional force that patrols only Camden — and the start of a business development boom spurred by the Grow New Jersey program, which rewards employers who invest in struggling cities.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.