On March 12, 2008, at a press conference at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Fumo announced he was dropping his bid for reelection under stress, saying that the charges against him left "a cloud hanging over head." He did, however, complete his final term in the Senate, which ended at the end of the year. This was reportedly at the insistence of Governor Ed Rendell who was present at the press conference. Fumo also added that the decision had nothing to do with his health issues.