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Outed bisexual candidate withdraws from Idaho race
A Democratic state House hopeful who was accidentally outed as a bisexual by a party colleague earlier this year has withdrawn from his race.
Nate Murphy of Pocatello had sought election in District 29.
In March, he was accidentally outed after Idaho’s only openly gay lawmaker, Sen. Nicole LeFavour of Boise, told The New York Times that Murphy would be taking up her legacy.
Murphy’s former campaign manager, Ryan Hand, said personal issues prompted the 23-year-old candidate’s departure from the race, not the outing.
Murphy also had faced questions about a marijuana conviction five years ago.
Hand declined to provide specifics behind the decision to exit the race, and Murphy didn’t return a phone call.
Southeastern Idaho Democrats are seeking a replacement for Murphy to run against Republican Dave Bowen.