Valerie Ervin Dropping Out Of US House Race

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) -- Former Montgomery County Council president Valerie Ervin is dropping her bid for a seat in Congress, citing fundraising difficulties.

Ervin, a Silver Spring Democrat, announced Thursday in a Facebook post that she won't continue her run for Maryland's 8th District congressional seat. In July, Ervin announced plans to run for the seat Rep. Chris Van Hollen is vacating to run for the U.S. Senate seat of retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski.

The 58-year-old graduate of the University of Baltimore served on the county council from 2006 to 2014, when she resigned to lead the Center for Working Families, a progressive group that helps low-income families. She was the first African-American woman elected to the council.

Several other candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination to fill the seat.

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