US congressman Justin Amash, a former Republican who quit the party to become an independent, has announced he will not seek the Libertarian nomination for the White House only weeks after saying he was running because voters wanted an "alternative" to the two major parties.
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In deciding to drop out, he cited the challenges of trying to campaign as a third-party candidate during the coronavirus pandemic.
"After much reflection, I've concluded that circumstances don't lend themselves to my success as a candidate for president this year, and therefore I will not be a candidate," he said in one in a series of tweets explaining his decision.
He said "the new reality of social distancing levels the playing field among the candidates in many respects but it also means lesser known candidates are more dependent on adequate media opportunities to reach people."
Amash said he still thinks such a candidacy could prove successful in the future.
"I continue to believe that a candidate from outside the old parties, offering a vision of government grounded in liberty and equality, can break through in the right environment," he tweeted. "But this environment presents extraordinary challenges."
Amash left the Republican Party last year and later supported President Donald Trump's impeachment in the Democratic-led House.
Australian Associated Press
