After five months of campaigning for a seat in the U.S. Senate, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill suspended his campaign on Sunday.

Merrill said following his entrance into the race on June 25, he and others around him "saw a path to victory," citing "six months of successful fundraising."

However, the involvement of former U.S. Attorney General and former U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions in the race changed his calculations.

"With Senator Sessions' late entry into this race, we have come to realize that a crowded Republican primary only benefits [Senator] Doug Jones and the out of touch liberal Democrats," said Merrill in a statement.

"Therefore, after thoughtful consideration, much prayer, some honest discussions with my family and campaign team, I have decided to suspend my campaign for the United States Senate, effective immediately." 

Senator Doug Jones was elected in 2017 to fill the seat vacated by Sessions when he was confirmed to be the U.S. Attorney General. 

The other candidates currently running for Senator Jones' seat on the Republican side include:

• Stanley Adair, businessman
• Bradley Byrne, congressman
• Arnold Mooney, Alabama representative
• Roy Moore, Former Alabama Supreme Court Justice
• Ruth Paige-Nelson, community activist
• Tommy Tuberville, former head coach at Auburn University