Democratic presidential candidate John Delaney announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection to his U.S. House seat in Maryland. In an emotional video posted to Twitter, Delaney said he wanted to focus his energy on the “important work” of his campaign for president.
“After nine years in Congress and countless political battles, I have made a difficult decision to not seek reelection in 2020,” he said. He thanked the people of Maryland for their support and all the opportunities that they have given him.
Delaney, who is one of about 20 Democrats vying for the presidential nomination, said he is humbled by the opportunity to run for president but will no longer be able to serve his constituents in his congressional district. He pledged to work hard to elect a strong Democrat to replace him in Congress.
Delaney has lagged behind in polls and fundraising. He said he was proud to be part of the “transformative field of candidates” running for president and wanted to focus on making sure that the Democratic party puts forth a strong, progressive nominee.
Despite his departure from Congress, Delaney said he is still completely committed to running for president and will continue to “loudly promote a progressive agenda and make the case for a different kind of leadership.”
