Bill de Blasio is pulling the plug on his bid for Congress, ending a short-lived campaign that showed voters have grown disillusioned with the former New York City mayor and his liberal brand of politics.
Mr. de Blasio announced he was running in May for an open seat representing parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, but things never took off the way he envisioned.
“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,” Mr. De Blasio said in a social media post.
It marks another major political setback for the 61-year-old former mayor, who also made a bid for the Democratic nomination for president, but also withdrew before voting started.
Mr. De Blasio signaled Tuesday he plans to hang around in some capacity.
“I just want to say I love the people of this city,” he said. “I really want to keep serving and I am going to find a different way to serve.”
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Congressional primaries in New York are slated for August.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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