Marianne Williamson Suspends Long-Shot 2024 Democratic Presidential Campaign

Democratic candidate Marianne Williamson prepares for a television interview after the Democratic presidential debate at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Mich., on July 30, 2019. Scott Olson/Getty Images

Self-help author Marianne Williamson is suspending her long-shot campaign for the Democratic 2024 presidential nomination, the writer announced on Feb. 7.

The 71-year-old presidential hopeful revealed she was dropping out of the race in a video message on YouTube where she told supporters she felt encouraged to see the “beauty” in endings.

Ms. Williamson, who is also a “spiritual friend” to TV host Oprah Winfrey, shared a lengthy message alongside the video.

“First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you don’t win,” she began the message.

“I appreciate greatly all the incredible people who accompanied me on our political journey over the last ten months. While the level of our failure is obvious to all, a level of success is real nonetheless,” she wrote.

“We articulated deeper, more authentic truths than those regularly acknowledged by the political establishment. And I’m not only glad we did that; I’m proud of it. We spoke for those most ignored in America today and whose wounds are most in need of healing. I wish I could have reached them. I know we would have provided hope,” the author continued.

The former White House hopeful and Texas native noted that she had learned “so much” throughout her campaign.

“Processing this experience will itself be an ongoing journey, and forgiveness will guide me as I move through it. I will not allow the mental torment of all the woulda shoulda couldas [sic] to tie me to the past, but rather I will keep my eye on the larger story. In ways I cannot yet see, none of this will have been in vain. There are hidden gifts that have only just begun to reveal themselves,” she said.

‘Country Is at a Crossroads’

Ms. Williamson formerly launched her campaign last March, becoming the first challenger to President Biden’s reelection.

“Our country is at a crossroads,” Ms. Williamson told a crowd at Union Station in Washington as she kicked off her campaign. “We can either continue down the path of division and hatred, or we can choose a new way forward, a way that is grounded in compassion, love, and understanding. I choose the latter, and I invite you to join me on this journey.”

Ms. Williamson’s latest campaign focused heavily on “reproductive justice,” noting that she does not believe the federal government should have the power to decide if women can or cannot have access to abortions.

The writer also campaigned on addressing the “climate emergency,” closing the wealth inequality gap in America, increasing the minimum wage, providing tuition-free higher education, and rolling out a universal whole health care system across the United States.

Other key aspects of her campaign included lowering the voting age to 16, providing training to Americans on “conflict resolution, restorative justice,” and “peace-creation,” and offering “mindfulness training” in schools.

Support for Williamson Drops

However, her campaign gained little traction, and her national polling fell to 6.5 percent this month, down from a peak of 9 percent last October, according to a RealClearPolitics average of polls.

In the New Hampshire primary, Ms. Williamson won just 5,000 votes. The author opted to continue for two more primaries but won just 2 percent of the vote in South Carolina and around 3 percent in Nevada.

While announcing the suspension of her campaign on Feb. 7, the motivational speaker said she would be keeping her campaign website operational.

“I hope future candidates will take what works for them, drinking from the well of information we prepared. My team and I brought to the table some great ideas, and I will take pleasure when I see them live on in campaigns and candidates yet to be created,” she said.

“I wish I could give a personal hug to every person who encouraged me on this journey. So many had faith and believed in what was possible. While we did not succeed at running a winning political campaign, I know in my heart that we impacted the political ethers,” she concluded.

The best-selling author previously ran unsuccessfully in the 2020 Democratic primaries, basing her campaign on advocating for the United States to provide cash reparations to black people.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.