Andre Cooper, who previously announced a run for the District 3 board of commissioners' seat, never officially qualified to run because of health issues.

Cooper, 43, said Wednesday he was forced to pull out of the race to address his health, but he said he plans to seek the District 3 seat in 2016.

"I was very disappointed; I'm still very disappointed," Cooper said. "I feel that I let a lot of people down. All that time, during qualifying and the week after, I felt like I let a lot of people down.

"However, I'm very determined, and I'm going to stay involved in the community," he said. "It's all about the people, and I want to give back to the community."

Cooper is an investigator in the Georgia Capital Defender Office and previously spent two years in the Newton County Public Defender's Office and one and a half years with the Newton County Sheriff's Office.

Cooper unsuccessfully ran for the District 3 commission seat in 2008 and the state representative seat for District 95 in 2010.