On the day Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced she would not be seeking re-election in 2016, people of the city reacted to the news.
When it comes to opinions of the mayor's administration, many of them are shaped by the news of the past few months. Many in the city said it's time for the mayor to go, citing recent rifts with the police union, but Ellis Wright, 62, feels her job has been well done.
"I want her back in (the office)," he said. "I feel even though she's not going back, who are we going to get?"
The news spread through Baltimore quickly, and opinions on the matter are as varied as the people sharing them.
"She just has not had a good reputation amongst the average Joe," said Woody Horsey, who said he's lived in the Druid neighborhood for 20 years.
Horsey points to a lack of employment and affordable housing, calling that the biggest downfall of the mayor's administration.
"Baltimore has a serious heroin problem. All these issues haven't been thoroughly addressed with her being in office," he said.
Patricia Warren moved to Baltimore from New Orleans during the height of April's riots, as looting and violence gripped the city. Friday, many faulted the mayor's handling of those riots, saying National Guard intervention should have happened sooner -- an opinion Warren also shares.
"From what I saw from the situation ... but she seemed to kind of be backpedaling," Warren said.
Of the mayor's chances of re-election, Warren said "if (Rawlings-Blake) was to go for re-election, I think she probably knows she'd lose."
The news leaves others questioning the way she handled the firing of former Police Commissioner Anthony Batts.
"A lot of people feel he was made a scapegoat because of her failed administration," Horsey said.
A number of candidates have said they deserve to take office, previously announcing they would be campaigning. They also reacted to news of Rawlings-Blake's decision.
What most people agreed on is that whomever takes office needs to focus on bringing Baltimore back to the great city they said they know it can be.
