I met my wife Renee in Kansas, raised my family in Kansas, and came to love every wild corner of our wonderful state -- from the rolling flint hills to the windmill filled prairie.

That unbridled love of our home is what motivated me to run for the United States Senate in the first place. I knew that if I didn’t do everything I could to stand up for our values, I’d regret it for years to come.

I’ve been incredibly humbled by your support and friendship in this endeavor. Thanks to your help, I’ve broken early fundraising records and built one of the strongest Senate campaigns in the history of our state.

But working to win our U.S. Senate seat for the first time in more than 80 years has always been a mission that was bigger than just me. This is about doing everything we can to stand up for our state and country.

If we’re going to make history in Kansas, it will require an extraordinary commitment to changing the trajectory of our country, and maybe a little bit of luck, too. I know a drawn-out primary would be unquestionably harmful and set us all back in this fight.

After long consideration, I’ve come to believe the most important thing I can do to help us win this race is to step aside.

Today I announced that I am no longer seeking the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, and I hope that all those who want to challenge Kansas’ status quo will unite with me in supporting Barbara Bollier.

State Senator Bollier has always had the courage to put politics aside in order to do the right thing, and she was instrumental in helping stop the Brownback cuts to schools, roads and public safety. I’m going to everything I can to elect her, and I hope you’ll join me.

No state in the nation has maintained one-party domination longer than the Sunflower State, but we can change that.

After electing Governor Kelly and Congresswoman Sharice Davids last year, we have an incredible opportunity in 2020 to break Republicans’ stranglehold on Kansas. In order to have a shot, we all have to come together now.

One of the worst things about Washington, DC is that no one is willing to give up their self-interest in order to do the right thing for the greater good.

But I’m willing to make the tough sacrifices, and I hope you are, too.

Because together, there’s nothing we can’t change – not even Kansas.

Onward,

Barry R. Grissom

https://barrygrissom.com/