Last week mayoral candidate Nick J. Mosby was asking for votes up onstage with East Baltimore rapper Tate Kobang, best known for his Baltimore-inflected song “Bank Rolls (Remix).”

Today a somber Mosby was in front of the media outside City Hall, dropping out of the race.

And if Mosby is bankrolling anybody, it’s going to be front-runner, state Sen. Catherine E. Pugh (D-40th).

The freshman city councilman from the 7th District said he is endorsing Pugh with just two weeks to go until the April 26 Democratic primary.

The 37-year-old Mosby – whose wife, State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, shot to fame for her prosecution of police officers in connection with the death of Freddie Gray – said the decision was not made lightly.

He called it “a decision that’s challenging for both me personally and professionally.”

“I can truly say the only thing I love more than my family is the city of Baltimore and the youth and the next generation in Baltimore city,” Mosby said.

Self-described Son

Mosby described himself on the stump as “a son of Baltimore,” raised by a single mom and “as at-home on the streetcorner as in a boardroom.”

He used the politically-plugged-in fundraiser Colleen Martin-Lauer (former client, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake) to handle his campaign war chest.

But Mosby’s candidacy never caught on. In the most recent polling, his support had slipped to 5%.

Pugh, meanwhile, who has been getting establishment backing from unions, local lawmakers and, earlier this week, U.S. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, has led the crowded field of candidates, with 31% in the latest poll.

How did Pugh receive the news that Mosby was throwing his support her way?

Mosby couldn’t say. He told reporters he hadn’t told her yet.