'I made the attempt to take my life.' Abby Broyles leaves congressional race
Democrat Abby Broyles dropped out of the 5th District congressional race Thursday, saying she was undergoing mental health treatment after an incident last month in which she got intoxicated and insulted young girls at a slumber party.
“On the morning of March 2nd, I made the attempt to take my life, but thankfully, God had greater plans for me,” she said. “I am currently undergoing mental health treatment for severe anxiety and dependency on alcohol to cope.”
Broyles, 32, had been running for the seat currently held by Republican Rep. Stephanie Bice, of Oklahoma City. Earlier this week, another Democrat, Joshua Harris-Till, announced he would run for the seat. Candidate filing is scheduled for April 13,14 and 15.
A news release from Broyles' campaign said the Republican-dominated Legislature had redrawn the 5th District "to prevent any Democrat from winning."
"That reality combined with recent events that turned Abby into salacious right-wing clickbait have led the Broyles campaign to make this difficult decision and Abby to focus on her mental health."
In interview, Abby Broyles admitted to consuming wine, sleeping medication
Broyles admitted in a local television interview last month that she combined wine with a sleeping medication while at the home of a friend in the Oklahoma City area. The friend’s young daughter was hosting a sleepover with friends that night.
According to Twitter posts by the mother of one of the friends and a story on nondoc.com, Broyles used profanity in insulting some of the girls and threw up on the shoes of one. Broyles said in the television interview that she didn’t remember anything “until I woke up — or came to — and I was throwing up in a hamper.”
Broyles said Thursday, “Last month, I made a mistake I deeply regret.
"As I admitted, I mixed alcohol and a medication I'd never taken before while under the same roof as a group of young women who looked up to me, and for that, I apologize from the bottom of my heart. A mother whom I’ve never met, went to Twitter and the media five days later to make accusations that not only go against my core values and beliefs, but are falsely accusatory. The moment the news became public, I received countless repulsive messages, right-wing social media attacks, and death threats that have led to me feeling unsafe in my own home.”
Broyles' statement did not specify which accusations were false.
More: Oklahoma Democrat Harris-Till joins 5th District race
Abby Broyles ran for U.S. Senate in 2020
An attorney and former television news reporter, Broyles ran for the U.S. Senate in 2020, getting 33% of the vote against incumbent Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe.
She said Thursday, “Once I work through my mental health challenges, I will be back to fight and protect our democracy, working alongside all of you — women, girls and working families alike."
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Abby Broyles drops out of race after drunken sleepover incident
