Former New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio dropped out of the race to represent New York’s 10th Congressional District on Tuesday, just two months after jumping into the race.
“I’ve listened really carefully to people and it’s clear to me that when it comes to this congressional district, people are looking for another option, and I respect that,” De Blasio said in a video posted on Twitter. “And I just want to say I love the people of this city, I really want to keep serving and I’m going to find a different way to serve.”
De Blasio’s decision came as he has struggled to gain traction in the Democratic primary in the New York City-based 10th District. Recent opinion polls showed him notching only single-digit support.
A recent survey from the liberal firm Data for Progress found De Blasio picking up just 5 percent support in the race.
He also faced a crowded field of challengers, including Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.), who represents New York’s 17th District but decided to run in the 10th District under the state’s new congressional lines.
De Blasio acknowledged on Tuesday the challenges that he faced in his congressional bid, saying it was clear that it’s “not going to work out.” In a tweet accompanying his video message, the former New York City mayor also said that it is time for him “to leave electoral politics.”
“I’m feeling a lot of gratitude, I’m also recognizing I made mistakes, I want to do better in the future, I want to learn from those mistakes,” he said. “And it’s been a humbling experience, but it’s been a healthy experience.”
New York is set to hold its congressional primary elections on Aug. 23.