Officials in Miami Beach, Fla., said a mayoral candidate has been disqualified from the race for bouncing his qualifying check.

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City Attorney Jose Smith wrote in a memorandum Tuesday that Joshua LaRose, 28, submitted the $1,360 check Sept. 10, one day before the deadline. SunTrust Bank contacted the city Sept. 18 to say the check had bounced due to insufficient funds in LaRose's account, the Miami Herald reported Wednesday.

Smith said LaRose was disqualified because he "failed to comply with the City Charter's requirement that the qualifying fee be paid within the subject qualifying period."

LaRose said the check bounced because the bank held a deposit of $2,000 in checks he made Sept. 10. He accused Mayor Matti Bower of being behind his disqualification.

"She wants me out of the race," LaRose said.

However, Bower said she had nothing to do with the decision. LaRose said he is now focusing on a 2010 campaign for governor and a 2012 campaign for the U.S. Senate, running as a Republican.