It is with an immensely heavy heart that I announce I am suspending my campaign for Congress.

Over the last six months, you have given me your time, your advice, and your trust. You have welcomed my family and me into your homes and your conversations. I will never forget that generosity, and I will carry it with me for the rest of my life.

However, it has become clear to me that running for office has already begun to feel like a full-time job — something I am incredibly fortunate to already have. In my current role, I serve victims of sexual violence and child abuse, working every day to protect some of the most vulnerable members of our community. These survivors rely on my full attention and commitment, and when I realized my focus was being divided, I had to ask myself a hard question: could I truly give my all to the victims who have trusted me to fight for them, my family, and to this campaign over the next 15 months?

In my time as a candidate, I have seen what real commitment to democracy looks like. I have met organizers in South Carolina who work around the clock, often without pay, because they believe so deeply in a better future. I have been humbled by voters stepping out of the shadows to show just how purple our state can be. And I have seen the women of this state carry this movement on their shoulders with strength and resolve. Without them, progressive politics would not exist in South Carolina.

What I’ve learned from these incredible people is that real change requires a candidate that does not have two passions. And while Elyse and I both knew that this would require a step back from my job at some point, I simply cannot afford to give what it takes for the next 15 months.

This is our best chance in 15 years to flip this district, and we need a candidate with the focus and the financial backing to carry that dream to the finish line. I will step aside to make space for that person to step forward.

This is not the end. When the time is right, I will be ready to step forward again. Until then, I will keep working for the community I am proud to call home, seeking justice for the survivors who have trusted me to fight for them, and holding onto the unshakable truth that a better future is not just something we can imagine — it is something we can build together.