After filing papers at the last minute to run for the governor’s office, Sen. Slade Blackwell, R-Mountain Brook dropped out of the race Monday.

“Senator Slade Blackwell withdrew his candidacy for the position of governor today,” Katie E. Lansford, director of communications and marketing for the Alabama Republican Party, said in an email to BirminghamWatch. She said she could not comment further.

The move leaves Blackwell out of the election for this year, since he had not filed papers to run for re-election to the District 15 seat he has held since 2010.

Blackwell could not be reached for comment.