Rep. Tim Ryan Drops Out of 2020 Race

Democratic presidential candidate Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) speaks during the Democratic National Committee's summer meeting in San Francisco, California on Aug. 23, 2019. Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) announced he was dropping out of the presidential race on Oct. 24.

“I’m announcing today that I am withdrawing from the Presidential campaign. I got into this race in April to really give voice to the forgotten people of our country. I look forward to continuing that fight. Thank you, to everyone who supported this campaign,” Ryan said in a video statement.

“I wanted to give voice to the forgotten communities that have been left behind by globalization and automation. And I’m proud of this campaign because I believe we’ve done that. We’ve given voice to the forgotten communities and the forgotten people in the United States,” he added.

Ryan, 46, was considered a long-shot candidate who failed to get traction with his old-school liberal views amid a field crowded with progressives. He joined the race in April.

“I can win western Pennsylvania, I can win Ohio, and I can win Michigan. That means Donald Trump is going back to Mar-a-Lago full-time,” Ryan said during an appearance on ABC’s “The View.”

Ryan last qualified for a debate in July, when he was criticized for not placing his hand on his heart during the national anthem. He instead clasped his hands in front of him.

Ryan said he'd be returning to Ohio to run for re-election to keep his congressional seat. He won the 2018 election with 61 percent of the vote. Challenger Christopher DePizzo, a Republican, garnered 39 percent.

Ryan has been in Congress since 2003, representing Ohio’s 13th congressional district (it was known as the 17th prior to 2013).

Ryan unsuccessfully challenged Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for the position of House minority leader after Trump upset former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

(From L) Democratic presidential hopefuls, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), billionaire Tom Steyer, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Mayor of South Bend Pete Buttigieg, entrepreneur Andrew Yang, former Representative for Texas Beto O'Rourke, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro arrive on stage for the fourth Democratic primary debate of the 2020 presidential campaign season co-hosted by The New York Times and CNN at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio on Oct. 15, 2019. Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images

Ryan is the first candidate to drop out since New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio dropped out on Sept. 20.

De Blasio was the seventh major Democratic candidate to withdraw, following Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, former Sen. Mike Gravel (D-Alaska), and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.).

Those who remain in the race are Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Obama administration cabinet secretary Julian Castro, former Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.), Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), former Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Penn.), billionaire Tom Steyer, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), author Marianne Williamson, and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.

Mark Tapscott contributed to this report.