A candidate for Associated Students Senate announced Thursday that he has dropped out of the spring election.

Jose Ochoa / Daily Nexus

Kevin Sabellico, a first-year physics major, said he is suspending his campaign for on-campus senator to “focus on [his] academics and [his] application for UC Student Regent, among other things.” He was running with Campus United (CU), an A.S. political party formed last year.

With the withdrawal of Sabellico from the race, there are now nine candidates running for the five available on-campus senator seats. Four of the candidates are running with CU and five of the candidates are running with the opposing party, the Isla Vista Party (IVP).

“I will still be supporting Campus United candidates,” Sabellico said in a statement. “The only IVP candidate I support now is Steven Ho, and I hope he and the other four CU candidates for the on-campus senate race win seats.”

Campaigning for A.S. Elections begins 8 p.m. Sunday and will continue for the next two weeks until voting results are announced on the night of Apr. 27.

Profiles of all 51 A.S. candidates can be found here.