“I was not successful (in raising funds) to the degree that was needed,” Cherry said in a statement. “With that in mind, I have come to the conclusion that to wage a successful campaign will be difficult at best.”

A mid-December poll by Rasmussen found that Cherry trailed three Republican opponents — U.S. Rep Peter Hoekstra of Holland, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard and Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox — in head-to-head races among the 500 likely voters polled.

Other Democratic candidates who have announced their candidacy include Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith, D-Salem Township, and former state Rep. John Freeman. Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero and Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford, both have been mentioned as possible Democratic candidates, but neither has officially announced his candidacy.