Trump-backed Senate candidate to suspend campaign after losing custody of children

A Trump-backed United States Senate candidate is suspending his campaign after losing custody of his children after his estranged wife leveled shocking allegations of abuse against him.

Politico reports that Pennsylvania Senate hopeful Sean Parnell suspended his campaign shortly after losing the custody battle on Monday.

According to Politico's sources, Parnell even phoned Trump to personally inform him of his decision to suspend the campaign.

READ MORE: 'He tried to choke me': Estranged wife of Trump-backed candidate gives shocking testimony of physical abuse

Laurie Parnell weeks ago testified under oath that Parnell both physically and emotionally abused her and their three children, and even told the court that he "tried to choke me out on a couch and I literally had to bite him to escape."

As the Philadelphia Inquirer reported at the time, Laurie Powell told the court that "her husband would call her a 'whore' and a 'piece of sh*t'" and "also testified that he once put her out of the car and left her by the road after they argued when he told her she had to get an abortion."