Safford councilman suspends congressional run after overdose

A Safford city councilman who was running for a congressional seat has suspended his campaign after having a drug relapse last week.

In a statement, Chris Taylor says he’s seeking treatment for a substance abuse disorder.

Taylor also says he will fully cooperate with local authorities on any matters arising from his relapse and overdose.

Taylor says he relapsed after “many solid years in sobriety” and has to figure out where he went wrong.”

A family member reportedly found Taylor unresponsive in his home on Wednesday night.

Paramedics revived him with a drug that reverses the effects of opioids.

Taylor had been seeking the Republican nomination in the 1st Congressional District currently represented by incumbent Rep. Tom O’Halleran, a Democrat in his second term.

The 1st District spans northeastern Arizona, including Flagstaff, and runs to the outskirts of Tucson.

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