US senator Kamala Harris has ended her 2020 presidential campaign.
The California senator had initially been considered one of the favourites in the race.
However, her campaign had struggled to gain momentum against an ever-growing field of rival campaigns.
Polls had consistently shown her polling in single digits - behind the four frontrunners Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg.
In a Medium post confirming the suspension of her campaign, Ms Harris wrote: "My campaign for president simply doesn’t have the financial resources we need to continue.
"I’m not a billionaire. I can’t fund my own campaign. And as the campaign has gone on, it’s become harder and harder to raise the money we need to compete."
She added: "I want to be clear: although I am no longer running for President, I will do everything in my power to defeat Donald Trump and fight for the future of our country and the best of who we are."
To my supporters, it is with deep regret—but also with deep gratitude—that I am suspending my campaign today.
But I want to be clear with you: I will keep fighting every day for what this campaign has been about. Justice for the People. All the people.https://t.co/92Hk7DHHbR— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) December 3, 2019
Ms Harris' decision is one of the most dramatic developments of the Democratic primary campaign to date, coming a month after another early favourite - Texas politician Beto O'Rourke - ended his campaign.
Polling has consistently shown former US vice president Joe Biden leading the campaign - followed by progressive senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.
The other senators remaining in the campaign are Amy Klobuchar and Cory Booker, both of whom have struggled to gain momentum in the race.
Kamala Harris had secured her place in the sixth campaign debate scheduled for later this month, and her withdrawal leaves six candidates having qualified to date for the event on December 19th.
The official primary process to choose the final Democratic candidate for next year's election begins in February, with Iowa and New Hampshire Democrats the first to vote.
