While one of the runners-up in 2011’s City and Borough of Juneau Assembly races is taking another bite at the apple this year, two other candidates from last year who fell short have decided against repeat bids – for now, at least.

Juneau businesswoman and substitute teacher Geny Del Rosario, who finished a distant third in last year’s hotly contested race for the areawide Assembly seat now occupied by Assembly member Carlton Smith, said she has other commitments that prevent her from running this year.

The same goes for Brad Fluetsch, who lost his bid last year to represent District 1. Fluetsch, a financial analyst with a firm on North Douglas, said Friday that he has been out of the state dealing with a family emergency.

The third unsuccessful Assembly candidate from 2011, Loren Jones, is running for this year’s open District 1 seat. He was certified as a candidate Friday morning.

Del Rosario ran against both Smith and Jones in 2011, but on Thursday, she called Jones a “good friend” and said she is supporting his candidacy. She also praised former Assembly member Merrill Sanford, the only certified candidate for mayor this year so far.

“I have decided to support the people who are ready this year, and they’re good people, and we need them there,” said Del Rosario.

Fluetsch has also been following this year’s races as they shape up. He had particularly warm words for Sanford.

“I think he’d make an outstanding mayor,” Fluetsch said. “He really knows how to deal with issues and build consensus on the Assembly.”

Of the contested race for the open District 1 seat being vacated by Deputy Mayor David G. Stone, Fluetsch said he had not found much common ground with Jones on the issues in 2011, when they were both candidates for different seats.

“I didn’t agree with him a whole lot,” said Fluetsch.

About the other contender this year for the District 1 seat, Fluetsch said, “I don’t know Paul Nowlin. I think he had some interesting thoughts. I think he was crazy for responding to Empire comments, but more power to him,” he added, referring to Nowlin’s participation in the comments section of a July 25 article on the Juneau Empire’s website.

Del Rosario said she would like to run again for Assembly or possibly the Juneau School District’s Board of Education, more commonly known as the school board, perhaps as soon as next year.

“If I had the time this year, I would love to. But I have personal reasons for not (running),” Del Rosario said.

Instead of seeking municipal office, Del Rosario said she intends to run for president of the Filipino Community, Inc., an organization with which she has been active for several years.

“I hear nobody wants to run,” said Del Rosario. “And I’m stepping up to the plate.”

Fluetsch said he could run for public office again as well, but he sounded less enthusiastic than Del Rosario about the prospect.

“I’m not ruling out future runs, but it was pretty clear after last year’s elections that given some of the positions I hold,” it would be difficult to capture a majority of the vote, said Fluetsch. He lost by more than a two-to-one margin to now-Assembly member Jesse Kiehl last October.

Fluetsch also ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2006 against Mayor Bruce Botelho. Botelho is termed out this year, having served on the Assembly since 2003.

• Contact reporter Mark D. Miller at 523-2279 or at mark.d.miller@juneauempire.com.