BOSTON — Former state senator Ben Downing released a statement Tuesday morning announcing the end of his gubernatorial campaign. 

 

"For everything there is a season. For this campaign, that season has come to a close. Today, I am formally ending my bid to become the next Governor of Massachusetts. I do so with a heavy heart, but also with hope, and gratitude beyond measure," Downing noted in a statement.

 

The former state senator announced that he was running in January of 2021. The democrat was the first to enter the 2022 race for governor.

 

Downing noted that his campaign does not have the financial resources to continue. 

 

"Over the last 10 months, friends and neighbors, old and new, have opened their homes and hearts to my campaign. Together, we built a coalition that lifted up the voices of those too often ignored. We came up with real solutions to meet the challenges facing Massachusetts families and reshape our shared future. In a year that took a lot out of all of us, we grew stronger at the broken places. I have seen the best of Massachusetts, alongside the deep need for more urgent, empathetic leadership. I have learned and grown. For all of that, I cannot say thank you enough. Unfortunately, we simply do not have the financial resources to continue. While it's painful to admit, that reality has brought this chapter to a close."

 

Downing's progressive campaign was focused on representation for both the eastern and western parts of the state, equity, and making greener decisions that prepare for the future. He said he plans to continue this work.

 

"Just as my work and my responsibility as a citizen did not end when I term limited myself in the Senate, the work of this campaign does not end today. Though my name will not be on the ballot next year, I will keep working for the principles that defined this campaign. Massachusetts is prosperous, but we must ask 'for whom?' and reckon with the reality that the answer is for far too few. Massachusetts is innovative, but we must ask 'to what end?' and reckon with the fact that we are falling far short on the defining issues of this generation—most notably the climate crisis. We have everything we need to solve the big problems facing us. It is not a single political party that stands in the way, but a culture of complacency that too often prioritizes the comfort of those in power over addressing the challenges of those in need. Until that dynamic changes, our work is not done and you'll find me standing shoulder to shoulder with anyone striving to build a Massachusetts that works for everyone, everywhere."

 

Downing, a Pittsfield native, now lives in East Boston. The former state Senator elected not to run for reelection in 2016. He was elected in 2007.

 

Earlier in December Governor Charlie Baker and Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito announced they would not seek reelection. 

 

Three other candidates have so far declared for the Democratic nomination: state Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz of Boston, Harvard political science professor Danielle Allen, and Pro Duct Air Cleaning owner Orlando Silva of Shrewsbury.

 

Republican Geoffrey G. Diehl, a former state representative from Plymouth, has also announced for governor

 

Downing ended his statement by thanking those who supported his campaign. 

 

"To everyone who made this possible - thank you. To the team who encouraged, inspired, and challenged me every single day, this was an incredible adventure. Thanks to you. To the friends, family and supporters who fueled us over the last year, you were a constant source of strength in a year marked by uncertainty and change. And to Micaelah, thank you for being you and loving me, on the good days and the bad. I wouldn't be able to do anything without you."