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Amanda La Bell, the Working Families Party candidate in House District 54, announced this afternoon that she is quitting the race to succeed state Rep. Knute Buehler (R-Bend).
"Amanda La Bell has notified the Oregon Working Families Party of her decision to end her campaign for State Representative in House District 54. The Working Families Party fully supports that decision," the party said in a statement. "We believe when a candidate no longer has the trust of their community, they should withdraw."
The Working Families Party recruited La Bell last month after Democrats withdrew their support for their own nominee, Dr. Nathan Boddie.
Boddie faced accusations of sexual harassment and making a homophobic slur. He has denied any wrongdoing.
When La Bell entered the race in late August, she got the endorsements of Gov. Kate Brown and former Gov. Barbara Roberts as well as unions and other Democratic-leaning interest groups.
But nobody checked La Bell's background, which included financial troubles and a couple of arrests. As the Bend Bulletin and WW reported yesterday, it also included a false claim on her Voters' Pamphlet statement. La Bell claimed she'd graduated from Valdosta State University in Georgia but, in fact, she'd attended there just one semester.
Related: Candidate in Key Oregon Legislative Race Lied on Voter's Pamphlet Statement
That news caused Merkley and Brown to withdraw their endorsements and today, La Bell left the race.
Her decision leaves Boddie, who's candidacy was crippled by the loss of support of his party, to face Republican Cheri Helt.
