Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) dropped out of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary on Monday, making him the first major candidate in the crowded 2020 primary field to end a presidential bid.
“After the first Democratic presidential debate, our polling and fundraising numbers weren’t what we had hoped for, and I no longer see a path forward to the nomination,” Swalwell wrote in a message on his campaign website on Monday.
“My presidential campaign ends today, but this also is the start of a new passage for the issues on which our campaign ran,” he continued.
The Hill had reporter earlier on Monday that Swalwell planned to put an end to his campaign after he cancelled Independence Day events in New Hampshire last week.
The Los Angeles Times reported on Monday that Swalwell, who is a close ally of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and a member of the House Intelligence Committee, is expected to announce he will launch a reelection bid for his fifth term in the lower chamber.
The California lawmaker has lagged in polls in the presidential contest, despite taking part in the first series of debates late last month.
A Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted June 29 to July 1 showed Swalwell polling at zero percent among Democratic primary and caucus voters.
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