** FILE ** U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich announces he will seek re-election to Congress at the Laborers International Union hall in Cleveland in this Jan. 9, 2008 file photo. Kucinich plans to announce Friday, Jan. 25, 2008, he will abandon his campaign for the Democratic Presidential nomination to concentrate on his 10th Ohio Congressional run. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
CLEVELAND (AP) " Democrat Dennis Kucinich told The Cleveland Plain Dealer's editorial board Thursday that he is dropping out of the presidential race.
Kucinich told the newspaper that he will hold a news conference Friday to discuss his decision to abandon his second bid for the White House.
"I will be announcing that I'm transiting out of the presidential campaign," Kucinich said. "I'm making that announcement tomorrow about a new direction."
Kucinich said he wants to continue serving as a U.S. House member.
He said he will not endorse another Democrat in the presidential primary.
Kucinich has received little support in his second long-shot run for the presidency. He got 1% of the vote in the New Hampshire primary and was shut out in the Iowa caucuses.
Kucinich is facing four challengers in the Democratic congressional primary on March 4. Opponent Joe Cimperman has been critical of Kucinich for focusing too much time outside of his district while campaigning for president.
Kucinich, a former mayor of Cleveland, made an urgent appeal on his Web site earlier this week for funding for his congressional campaign.
He ended his 2004 campaign for president just days before endorsing Democratic nominee John Kerry at the party's convention.