Marianne Williamson, a renowned author and spiritual counselor, who aimed to contest President Joe Biden’s re-election bid, has halted her presidential campaign. Williamson made her decision public through a video shared on the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, on February 7th.
“We did what we could to shed some light in some very darkened times.”
The ex-candidate also expressed gratitude towards her supporters and donors who contributed to her now-ended campaign journey. She specifically addressed her younger followers, acknowledging that many found hope in her endeavors, and urged them to persist in crafting the narrative of hope she initiated, even in the days ahead.
Williamson chose to withdraw from the race shortly after the Nevada primary election results started emerging. Her performance amounted to a mere 3% of the total votes, significantly overshadowed by Biden’s much stronger showing of 89.4%.
BREAKING: Marianne Williamson suspends her presidential campaign, ending long-shot primary challenge to Biden https://t.co/jBUbbWJj0F
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 8, 2024
In 2020, Williamson also pursued a presidential bid. Although she garnered sufficient support and funding to launch her campaign by May 2018, it was beset by various challenges and setbacks.
Williamson’s initial stumble occurred during the Democratic primary debate in July 2019 when she made an unusual remark directed at New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.“Girlfriend, you are so on. The United States of America is going to be the best place in the world for a child to grow up.”
This statement, coupled with a later commitment to utilize love as a political tool to challenge then-President Donald Trump, swiftly attracted disapproval and ridicule. Williamson found herself the target of numerous online memes and jests.
On January 2, 2020, Williamson dismissed her entire staff but remained determined to continue her campaign. However, a mere eight days later, she withdrew from the race and threw her support behind Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT).
Following this, Williamson maintained a low profile for a period. However, in 2023, she faced renewed scrutiny when a collective of former staffers alleged that she struggled with anger management, engaged in emotional and verbal mistreatment, and cultivated a toxic work environment.
