Former Texas congressmen Beto O’Rourke suspended his presidential campaign Friday afternoon, citing a lack of funding.
“Our campaign has always been about seeing clearly, speaking honestly, and acting decisively,” O’Rourke wrote on Twitter. “In that spirit: I am announcing that my service to the country will not be as a candidate or as the nominee.”
“Though today we are suspending this campaign, let us each continue our commitment to the country in whatever capacity we can,” the former El Paso representative wrote in an email to supporters.
The campaign at this point “does not have the means to move forward successfully,” he said, adding that this fact is “difficult to accept.”
O’Rourke soared into the national spotlight during his 2018 Senate challenge of Texas Senator Ted Cruz, which ultimately failed but by closer margins than expected for the traditionally deep red state.
Party big wigs including major donors have encouraged him to run again for Senate, but he is not expected to launch another 2020 campaign.
O’Rourke had not qualified yet for the November 20 Democratic primary debate and was polling well behind other presidential contenders at around 2 percent nationally, according to the Real Clear Politics polls average.