Former Rep. Doug Ose (R–Sacramento), a candidate vying to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom through the Sept. 14 recall effort, announced he is ending his campaign after suffering a heart attack on Sunday.
“While at home on Sunday evening, I experienced the sudden onset of concerning medical symptoms. I immediately called 911 and was transported by ambulance to Mercy General Hospital where I was treated for a heart attack,” Ose said in a statement released Tuesday.
“While I’m told I should expect a full recovery, additional procedures and potentially surgery are required, and it has become clear that I must now focus my attention on rehabilitation and healing,” the former Congressman added.
Ose briefly flirted with a bid against Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2018, ultimately dropping out of the race after failing to gain traction within the first month of campaigning.
While the Sacramento ex-legislator’s candidacy failed to catch fire during the recall compared to other Republicans, he did make the debate stage during the first recall televised debate at the Nixon Presidential Library.
“Sometimes, you have to do things that you don’t want to do,” Ose said. “It is what it is: my campaign for governor is over.”
