ASHEVILLE – Democrat Matt Coffay says he is dropping out of the race for the 11th District U.S. House seat because of an unspecified personal issue.

Coffay (pronounced "koff-AY") in April became the first Democrat to get into the 2018 race for the district now represented by U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Buncombe.

“Unfortunately, I have had sudden personal circumstances occur that are beyond my control," Coffay said in a statement released late Tuesday afternoon. "After extensive deliberation with my loved ones as well as with my campaign staff, I’ve decided that I have to drop out of the race in order to address these acute personal needs.”

Coffay was 30 at the time of his announcement and head of the local chapter of Our Revolution, a political group formed to push some of the same issues Sen. Bernie Sanders did in last year's Democratic presidential primaries.

His withdrawal leaves McDowell County resident Phillip Price as the only known Democratic candidate. Meadows has made no announcement of his intentions but is expected to run again.

Any Democrat would face an uphill battle in the 11th, which stretches from the Lenoir area to the east to the state's western tip and takes in parts of Asheville. The district has a conservative voting history and is typically rated as a safe Republican seat.

Coffay had raised $51,834 for his campaign as of June 30, more than last year's Democratic nominee, Rick Bryson, brought in during his entire campaign. Coffay had hoped to capitalize on voter dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump.

He said he had already been campaigning six or seven days a week.

“I’m very proud of the incredible amount of work that we’ve been able to accomplish, the movement we’ve catalyzed, and the amount of support we’ve received — all in a relatively short amount of time,” Coffay said. “We deserve a congressman that represents the middle class and working families, not by someone whose interests lie with the top 1 percent."