(DETROIT) - Former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said Thursday that he is suspending his campaign for Michigan Governor.
Duggan cites an increasingly "toxic" political climate due to President Donald Trump's war with Iran and skyrocketing gas prices as some of the reasons for his decision.
Duggan, a longtime Democrat, was running as an independent to replace Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer who can't run again due to term limits. He told The Associated Press that it was going to be "very hard to win" as the Democrats who would have supported him are galvanizing against what's going on in Washington.
An independent has never served as Michigan governor and third-party candidates typically don't fare well in elections for the state's top seat. To Duggan, who shunned partisan fighting while choosing to run as an independent, it was clear the odds were stacking against his campaign.
Duggan believed he was trailing Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Republican U.S. Rep. John James in the governor's race. Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson also is running as a Democrat, while millionaire businessman Perry Johnson is running as a Republican.
Michigan's primary election will be held August 4 while the general election is November 3.