LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP/KTHV) - A congressional hopeful is dropping out of the race for a northwest Arkansas seat amid questions about his military record.
Democrat Ken Aden announced Monday that he is dropping out of the race against Republican incumbent Steve Womack.
Aden said in a statement that questions about his military records created distractions for the campaign.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported that military records and statements from officials contradict Aden's claim that he's a Special Forces soldier.
Aden said he didn't want the questions about his military background to hurt Democrats in the 3rd District or elsewhere in Arkansas.
Democratic Party spokeswoman Candace Martin says Aden's decision means there won't be a Democrat to challenge Womack in the fall.
Below is a statement that appeared on Aden's campaign website:
"Mr. Aden's campaign has, via overnight mail, submitted the necessary notification prescribed by the Arkansas Code to withdraw from the race for U.S. Congress. A copy of this notification has been provided to the Democratic Party of Arkansas as well," said Vince Leibowitz, spokesperson for the campaign.
Aden said he was exiting the race in order to spend more time with his family and to help ensure victory for Democrats across the state in November.
"Unfortunately, the ongoing saga related to my military records has created a tremendous distraction for our campaign, and I did not want this to have adverse consequences for Democrats across the district or anywhere else in the state," Aden said.
"Additionally, as most of you know, I recently became a father for the first time, and I will be exiting this race in order to spend more time with my family," he continued.
"I sincerely regret any difficulty that this situation has caused my fellow Democrats, my supporters, and staff. I will continue to remain a loyal Democrat and to my best to help Democrats in win in November," he concluded.
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