SOUTH BOSTON — Democrat Ericke Cage has announced that he is suspending his campaign to become the next congressman for Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District.

“Today I am suspending my campaign for Congress from Virginia’s Fifth District,” he said in an audio message posted to his campaign’s Twitter page.

The former educator announced he was seeking the Democratic nomination after U.S. Rep. Robert Hurt, a Republican, announced in December that he was not seeking re-election to the House.

“In the era of Citizens United, it takes a ton of money to run a successful political campaign,” Cage said.

He said he believed leaving the race was in the best interest of the party and the eventual Democratic nominee.