BRENTWOOD, TENN. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Conservative Republican congressional candidate Lee Thomas Miller announced Monday, Dec. 18 that he is ending his campaign for Congress in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District effective immediately. Miller issued the following statement:

“I am grateful to the friends and complete strangers who have supported my run for congress. I believe that citizens have the ability and right to help shape the direction of our nation. I also think that the people know better what is good for them than does the government.

My amazing wife endorsed this massive challenge under the one condition: that I run as myself without becoming somebody I am not. These are complicated times with complicated and emotional issues. These issues affect real people’s lives. Washington has forgotten this. I looked forward to this race and the opportunity to change things that I think are broken. But as a husband and father it quickly became obvious that this campaign would require me to compromise far more of myself than I would ever be willing.

So, I will end my campaign for U.S. House of Representatives while taking with me the same desire to protect faith, family and freedom that I have always had. I will also go back to using my voice and experience to defend the American songwriter.”