Kamala Harris is suspending her campaign for the U.S. presidency, citing financial troubles.
“I’m not a billionaire. I can’t fund my own campaign. And as the campaign has gone on, it’s become harder and harder to raise the money we need to compete,” she said in a statement to supporters. “My campaign for president simply doesn’t have the financial resources we need to continue.”
While she may be suspending her campaign, Harris said her fight against injustice is far from over.
“Our campaign showed every child in America — regardless of their color or gender — that there are no limits to who can lead and hold positions of power in our country,” she said in her statement.
“Our campaign uniquely spoke to the experiences of Black women and people of color — and their importance to the success and future of this party. Our campaign demanded no one should be taken for granted by any political party.
“We will keep up that fight because no one should be made to fight alone.”
The Democratic nomination hopeful entered the race in January with high expectations, kicking off her campaign with an estimated 20,000 who attended her rally in Oakland, Calif. She called on all Americans to “speak truth about what’s happening” in the Trump era.
“I am not perfect. But I will always speak with decency and moral clarity and treat all people with dignity and respect. I will lead with integrity. I will speak the truth,” she said at the rally.
Her campaign was marred by layoffs, low morale and internal fighting, according to Harris’ state operations director Kelly Mehlenbacher.
“This is my third presidential campaign and I have never seen an organization treat its staff so poorly,” Mehlenbacher wrote in her resignation letter on Nov. 11, referencing the layoffs of dozens of aides without notice by Harris’ campaign manager, Juan Rodriguez, and Harris’ sister and campaign chairwoman, Maya. “With less than 90 days until Iowa we still do not have a real plan to win.”
Throughout her campaign, Harris failed to maintain momentum, watching her polling numbers slide into the single digits.
Harris, 54, was the second Black woman to serve in the United States Senate when she took office in 2017. Her resignation marks a sharp fall from her status as a top-tier candidate, often likened to former president Barack Obama before she was elected to the Senate in 2016.
Harris is the third Democratic candidate to drop out in three days. Former Pennsylvania Rep. Joe Sestak and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock both dropped out of the race for the Democratic nomination between Sunday evening and Monday morning.
There are 16 Democratic nominees left in the running for the U.S. presidency.