Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson, the spiritual guru and bestselling author, ended her campaign on Friday, weeks before voting begins, saying she did not want to make it tougher for a progressive to win.
She also said she did not believe she would be able to gain enough support in the upcoming contests to make a difference in the race to challenge President Donald Trump.
In a post on her website, Williamson said "we will not be able to garner enough votes in the election to elevate our conversation any more than it is now.” Williamson has barely registered in the polls and struggled in fundraising since launching her bid for president last January.
She laid off her entire staff from her campaign at the end of last year, but continued to appear at campaign events in Iowa and New Hampshire in recent weeks. Her decision leaves 13 candidates remaining in the primary.
Who’s Running for President in 2020?
The field of Democratic 2020 presidential candidates is packed, though some have already dropped out. Those still in the race include a former vice president, senators, businessmen, House members, a former governor and a mayor. As for the GOP, a former governor and former congressman are vying to challenge President Trump.
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Updated Nov. 20, 2019
Note: Incorrect information about Michael Bennet’s cancer diagnosis and titles for Joe Sestak and William Weld have been revised on July 29, 2019, 3:17 p.m. ET.
Credit: Jo Bruni, Emma Barnett, Asher Klein, Dan Macht, Kelly Zegers / NBC; Photos: Getty Images