Perry Johnson, a Republican presidential candidate and Michigan businessman, announced Friday that he is suspending his campaign while lamenting government spending, inflation, and what he perceived as corruption in the Republican National Committee.
In a statement, he Johnson voiced his initial motivation for running for president: "I ran for President with the single focus of ensuring that the country my children inherit is just as extraordinary as the America in which I grew up."
Johnson's primary concern was the government's "out-of-control spending, which has caused rampant inflation and forced skyrocketing interest rates," which, he believed, was "painful for middle America and hurting American families." He feared this "recklessness jeopardizes Social Security, Medicare, National Defense, and our whole way of life."
Johnson proposed the "Two Cents Plan" to make life more affordable for Americans and aimed to address the economic challenges in the U.S.
He also expressed frustration with the RNC, alleging corruption.
"The corruption among leaders at the RNC during this process was appalling," he said.
Johnson accused RNC leaders of manipulating the debate process to sideline outsider candidates. He claimed that "corrupt leaders used their authoritarian power to kick me off the stage at 11 p.m. the Monday before the debate," despite his team's efforts to work with Fox News for the debate logistics.
Johnson called for a more democratic approach to selecting presidential candidates, saying, "The people should decide the next president of the United States, not the head of the RNC and her cronies."
Johnson also left open the possibility of reentering the race, maintaining a small political team in case the campaign's dynamics changed. He will still appear on the ballot in early contests, including New Hampshire.
According to the Associated Press, Johnson, who unsuccessfully sought the Michigan governorship last year, encountered accusations from the state's elections bureau of submitting thousands of fraudulent nominating signatures.