Levar Stoney stepped down from his post as Secretary of the Commonwealth today in a a move that could set him up to run for mayor of Richmond.

The long-time aide to Gov. Terry McAuliffe previously stated that he was considering campaigning for the position and is the most widely discussed mayoral candidate yet to join the race, some say.

Stoney told Style last week that he would “give some indication” about his intentions in late April. Since 2014, he has served as Secretary of the Commonwealth, which is a cabinet position to the Governor responsible for appointments to state boards and commissions. Concerns have been raised about the potential conflict of interest that would arise from those duties.

Those who criticize Stoney have already said that he lacks experience in city hall and would benefit from deep fundraising pockets given his long experience working for nationally-known Democrats such as John Kerry and McAuliffe.

In a statement reported by the Times-Dispatch, McAuliffe called Stoney one of his “closest advisors and friends.”