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Abby Broyles, Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District Candidate, announces the end of her campaign via Medium.com, where she admits to suffering from a drinking problem and mental health issues.
Broyles gained national attention earlier this year after it was reported that she acted in a rude, racist, and drunken manner at a teen girls’ slumber party.
Amid national condemnation, Broyles continued drinking heavily and even contemplated suicide after the incident.
“I was in the ER on the phone with my best friend telling her, ‘I took whatever I had. I just wanted it all to end,’ referring to medication she had been taking, she wrote in her post. Abby Broyles later added,’ I don’t remember what all I drank before I sent a couple of suicide texts to close friends and sent a tweet out that said, you guys win. I’ll just kill myself. I blacked out and woke up on a gurney.’”
Furthermore, she talked about her struggles with mental health, self-worth, severe anxiety, and having insomnia over the past two decades and admitted that she began drinking started around age 22.
“I should’ve asked for help sooner before I wound up Twitter roadkill, especially before jumping into the cutthroat political arena.”
Abby Broyles said that she is now getting the help she needs and encourages others who may struggle with addiction and mental health issues to do the same.
Broyles lost local and national Democrat Party support for her campaign following the exposure of the incident. But initially made plans to remain in the 5th Congressional District race despite calls for her to step down.
“The Democratic Party does not support, condone, approve of, or have tolerance for racism. Nor do we approve of misogyny,” Oklahoma state democrat party chair Alicia Andrews said in a response video.
Replacing her in the race, Joshua Harris-Till, 32, cousin of Emmett Till and the former president of the Young Democrats of America.