Sean Parnell, the candidate backed by former President Donald Trump for the Senate race in Pennsylvania, announced Monday afternoon that he has suspended his campaign.
The news was first reported by POLITICO. A spokesperson for the former president says that Parnell and Trump spoke about the decision.
The news comes just hours after Parnell lost a court battle over custody of his three children to his estranged wife following abuse allegations. Parnell himself took the stand two weeks ago to deny the allegations that he hurt his wife and children.
The judge, James Arner, wrote in an order Monday that Parnell’s estranged wife, Laurie Snell, will have sole legal custody of the school-age children, as well as primary physical custody. Parnell will have physical custody on three weekends per month, Arner wrote.
Snell was “the more credible witness,” Arner summed up in his 16-page opinion, saying she could remember and describe details in a convincing manner.
Snell testified about enduring years of rage and abuse from Parnell, including once when he choked her so hard she had to bite him to get free and another time when he slapped one of their children hard enough to leave welts through the back of the child’s shirt.
Parnell’s testimony, on the other hand, he found “less credible,” saying Parnell was “somewhat evasive” and simply denied Snell’s allegations.
“Upon consideration of the credible evidence, I find that Sean Parnell did commit some acts of abuse in the past” against Snell, Arner wrote. He also believed that Parnell slapped the child, as Snell testified, Arner wrote.
In a statement, Parnell said that he "strongly" disagrees with the ruling and is "devastated by the decision," but cannot carry on his campaign given the circumstances.
"There is nothing more important to me than my children, and while I plan to ask the court to reconsider, I can't continue with a Senate campaign," he wrote. "My focus right now is 100% on my children, and I want them to know I do not have any other priorities and will never stop fighting for them."
The Pennsylvania Senate seat, vacated by the retirement of incumbent Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., is a major target for both parties. Former President Donald Trump stunned the political world by winning the often reliably blue Keystone State in 2016, but President Joe Biden won the state back from Trump in 2020.
Other Republicans in the race include Carla Sands, Trump's ambassador to Denmark, and real estate investor Jeff Bartos.
Also potentially considering entering the race is Mehmet Oz, the surgeon and television personality who catapulted to fame after frequent appearances on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."
On the Democratic side, Pennsylvania's Lt. Gov. John Fetterman has emerged as a formidable fundraiser and frontrunner, but Rep. Conor Lamb and state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta have also mounted strong campaigns heading into next year's primary.
Parnell, a decorated former Army Ranger who led a platoon in Afghanistan, penned a memoir of his service in Afghanistan, which became a New York Times bestseller. He also has written four action novels, and emerged as a regular guest on Fox News programs before running for Congress last year.
Trump’s endorsement came in early September, as Parnell was an in-demand guest on cable TV news shows and conservative podcasts to discuss the Taliban’s seizing control of Afghanistan ahead of the withdrawal of American forces.
Even amid headlines about the custody case, Trump had underscored their support for Parnell by scheduling a fundraiser with Donald Trump Jr. on Jan. 25 at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida.
This is a developing story. Check back later for further updates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.