Stormy Daniels’s lawyer Michael Avenatti, who had been toying with a White House bid, said on Tuesday that he will not run for president in 2020.

“After consultation with my family and at their request, I have decided not to seek the Presidency of the United States in 2020,” Avenatti said in a statement posted to Twitter. “I do not make this decision lightly — I make it out of respect for my family.”

Avenatti said he will continue to represent Daniels in her legal battle against President Trump, and “will not rest until Trump is removed from office, and our republic and our values are restored.”

Please see my statement below regarding 2020. pic.twitter.com/ztCfZUY6hA — Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) December 4, 2018





The lawyer, who has never held public office, was one of more than two dozen names being floated as potential candidates for the Democratic nomination.

“I remain concerned that the Democratic Party will move toward nominating an individual who might make an exceptional President but has no chance of actually beating Donald Trump,” Avenatti continued. “The party must immediately recognize that many of the likely candidates are not battletested and have no real chance of winning. We will not prevail in 2020 without a fighter. I remain hopeful the party finds one.”

Avenatti, 47, was recently accused of domestic violence by a Los Angeles actress.

Michael Avenatti speaks to the media outside the Los Angeles Police Department office on Nov. 14, 2018. (Photo: Michael Owen Baker/AP)

Avenatti, who was arrested on Nov. 14, denied the woman’s allegations, suggesting they were part of right-wing smear campaign. Los Angeles County prosecutors investigated the allegations and declined to bring felony charges against him.

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