Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker announced he is withdrawing from the 2016 presidential race in a Madison news conference Monday.

“I believe I am being called to lead by helping to clear the field in this race so a positive conservative message can rise to the top of the field,” Walker said. “With this in mind, I will suspend my campaign immediately.”

The New York Times first reported Walker would be pulling out of the race earlier Monday because of a lack of funding.

“The short answer is money,” said an anonymous Walker supporter to the Times. “He’s made a decision not to limp into Iowa.”

Walker attended Marquette beginning in 1986 and withdrew from the university in 1990.

Donald Trump leads the Republican Party in the latest polls with 24 percent of the vote. Carly Fiorina is second with 15 percent support and Ben Carson ranks third with 14 percent of the vote. For the Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton leads with 42 percent of the vote,  Sen. Bernie Sanders is in second with 24 percent and Vice President Joe Biden is third with 22 percent.