Jason Cherry, a retired FBI agent and attorney from Unity, announced Wednesday he is dropping out of the Democratic primary for Maine governor, and will instead run for a seat in the Maine Legislature.

Cherry, a political newcomer with no elected experience, said his campaign was not able to gather the 2,000 signatures from voters needed to get on the ballot.

“I understand as a ‘new face’ and outsider, it is a difficult decision to support my campaign with so many well-qualified and well-known Democratic candidates,” Cherry said in a written statement. “I wish them the best and hope they will focus on reform and economic recovery.”

Cherry was seeking the Democratic nomination against a field of heavy hitters, including Secretary of State Shenna Bellows; renewable energy entrepreneur Angus King III (son of U.S. Sen. Angus King); former Maine Speaker of the House Hannah Pingree (daughter of U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree); former Senate President Troy Jackson; and former director of the Maine CDC Nirav Shah.

He had pitched himself as a reformer whose platform included expanding ranked-choice voting; having a popularly elected attorney general — a position currently appointed by the Legislature; and establishing a “citizen’s online forum” for voters to provide feedback on government actions and elections.

Cherry said he is pivoting his campaign to run for the District 38 seat in the Maine House of Representatives. The seat is currently held by Rep. Ben Hymes, R-Waldo.

Cherry’s announcement brings the crowded field of candidates running for governor down to 22. The slate of candidates is likely to shrink further in the coming weeks as the deadline for turning in signatures approaches.

Party-affiliated gubernatorial candidates have until March 16 to hand in between 2,000 and 2,500 signatures from Maine voters to qualify for the June 9 primary ballot.