PHOENIX – Chris Taylor, a Safford, Arizona, councilman who is running for Congress, overdosed on heroin last week and has since suspended his campaign.

The Wednesday incident was a relapse for Taylor, a combat veteran who has battled opioid addiction since high school.

In a written statement, Taylor said he was seeking treatment and not backing away from what happened.

"Today, I have suspended my campaign for the US House of Representatives and am seeking treatment for substance abuse disorder. I will fully cooperate with local authorities on any matters arising from my recent relapse and overdose," Taylor said in a statement to The Arizona Republic on Monday.

"I’m not going to hide from this. I’m not ashamed of what happened. I wish to sincerely apologize to the amazing people who have supported me. I don’t know what went wrong. I recently relapsed after having so many solid years in sobriety. I have to figure out where I went wrong."

Taylor has been seeking the Republican nomination in the 1st Congressional District, which is currently represented by incumbent Rep. Tom O'Halleran, a Democrat in his second term.

A family member found Taylor unresponsive in his home Wednesday night, and paramedics revived him there with a drug that reverses the effects of opioids, according to the Gila Herald.

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Authorities also found "items related to intravenous drug use" at the Safford Fire Department, where Taylor has been a longtime volunteer.

Taylor is one of at least three Republicans seeking their party's nomination this year.

The 1st District spans northeastern Arizona, including Flagstaff, and runs to the outskirts of Tucson.

Democrats have held the seat since its creation ahead of the 2012 elections, though President Donald Trump won there by 1 percentage point.

For that reason, national Republicans view O'Halleran as vulnerable.

A moderate Democrat, O'Halleran also faces primary opposition.

Follow Ronald J. Hansen on Twitter: @ronaldjhansen.