LOS ANGELES: Porn star Mary Carey is dropping out of the California governor’s race to be with her injured mother, who has been hospitalized in Florida since jumping off a four-story building last month.

Carey, who shot to worldwide fame with her quixotic gubernatorial campaign against Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003, said her mother was in critical condition at a Fort Lauderdale hospital and facing surgery.

“She’s schizophrenic and didn’t take her medication and jumped off a building,” Carey said. “She broke both of her legs, shattered her feet and shattered four vertebrae in back. It’s remarkable she survived.”

The star of such adult film titles as Boobsville Sorority Girls and Cheerleader School was running as a write-in candidate in 2006 because she could not collect enough signatures to be on the November ballot.

Last week, Carey followed the lead of Schwarzenegger’s Democratic challenger, state treasurer Phil Angelides, in demanding that NBC television host Jay Leno give her equal time on The Tonight Show following the governor’s recent guest appearance on the programme.

Leno did not extend an invitation to either Carey or Angelides.

Carey said she expected her mother, who did not suffer any head trauma or internal injuries in the fall, to recover from her injuries.

The porn star said she had not abandoned her political ambitions and was considering a move to Florida, to be near her mother and possibly run against Governor Jeb Bush.

“As much as I want to help the state of California be a better place, I think it is more important to be with my mom and help her,” Carey said in an earlier written statement.

“I am only 26 and have many more years to be involved in politics, but right now I must be in Florida with my mom,” Carey said. “For now I would just like to ask everyone to pray for a healthy recovery.”