Democrat Marianne Williamson ends presidential campaign

Jan. 10 (UPI) -- The field of Democratic presidential candidates got smaller Friday, with the departure of author Marianne Williamson.

In an announcement by her campaign, Williamson cited a critical lack of support for the decision to end her White House bid. After participating in the first two, she failed to qualify for the party's last four primary debates.

A spiritual adviser who's written self-help books, who often spoke of love as the ideal strategy for challenging President Donald Trump in November, is the 14th Democratic candidate to quit the race.

Williamson also said she doesn't want to be an obstacle to front-running candidates in early voting states like New Hampshire and Iowa.

"We will not be able to garner enough votes in the election to elevate our conversation any more than it is now," she said. "The primaries might be tightly contested among the top contenders, and I don't want to get in the way of a progressive candidate winning any of them. As of today, therefore, I'm suspending my campaign."

Williamson announced her campaign last April, and unveiled a platform that included reparations for minorities historically affected by slavery, and creating a Cabinet-level "Department of Peace."

Although she failed to qualify for the recent debates -- and has averaged less than 1 percent in polling -- her campaign raised $6.1 million over the first three quarters of 2019.

At July's debate in Detroit, Williamson called the primary process "wonky."

"If you think any of this wonkiness is going to deal with this dark psychic force of the collectivized hatred that this president is bringing up in this country, then I'm afraid that the Democrats are going to see some very dark days," she said.

Williamson sought political office once before, in 2014 as an independent candidate for California's 33rd congressional District, but lost to then-Democratic incumbent Rep. Henry Waxman. She is perhaps best known for 12 self-help books she's written and her acquaintances with celebrities including Oprah Winfrey.

"To the remaining Democratic candidates, I wish you all my best on the road ahead," she added Friday. "It was an honor being among you.

"Whichever one of you wins the nomination, I will be there with all my energy and in full support."