JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Al Gross, an independent running for Alaska's only U.S. House seat, said late Monday that he is ending his campaign.

Gross in a statement said it was “with great hope for Alaska’s future” that he has decided to end his campaign. He said there are two “outstanding Alaska Native women in this race who would both serve our state well, and I encourage my supporters to stay engaged and consider giving their first-place vote to whichever of them best matches their own values.”

His campaign said he was referring to Democrat Mary Peltola and Republican Tara Sweeney.

Peltola was in fourth place in the June 11 special primary and Sweeney was in fifth. The top four vote-getters in the special primary advance to a special election in August in which ranked choice voting will be used.

State elections officials plan to finish counting ballots from the special primary on Tuesday. Gross was in third, behind Republicans Sarah Palin and Nick Begich.

Gross’ campaign said he is not doing interviews at this time.

The statement from Gross’ campaign said he is withdrawing from the special election and from the regular elections. Peltola and Sweeney have both filed to run for the August regular primary.

The deadline to withdraw as a candidate for the regular primary is Saturday. The deadline to withdraw as a candidate for the special election is noon on Sunday.

Tiffany Montemayor, a spokesperson for the state Division of Elections, was asked if the fifth place finisher in the special primary would be bumped to fourth if Gross withdraws by the deadline. She said the division was “looking into this” and she did not have an immediate answer.

The House seat became vacant in March, when Republican Rep. Don Young died. He had held the seat for 49 years.

The person who wins the special election will fill the remainder of Young's term, ending in January. The August regular primary and November general election will decide who serves a regular two-year term, starting in January.

Gross, an orthopedic surgeon, unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate in 2020 with the endorsement of state Democrats.

But in the House special primary, Alaska Democratic party leaders urged voters to pick from among the six Democrats running.

The party, in a social media post, had referred to Gross as “pandering” after Gross in a newspaper interview did not commit to caucusing with Democrats if elected. Gross later said he would.

Gross during the campaign took swipes at Palin, who resigned as governor in 2009, partway through her term.

Gross, on social media last week, said he will “always fight for Alaskans — unlike my opponent Sarah Palin, who quit on the Alaskan people as Governor and chose money and fame over hard work.”

Gross’ campaign on Friday touted the endorsement of an electrical workers union and urged financial support for his campaign.

Messages seeking comment also were sent to the campaigns of Peltola and Sweeney.