CLEVELAND (AP) -- Former Ohio congressman James A. Traficant Jr. is no longer seeking to trade his prison cell for the Oval Office, campaign supporters said Wednesday.

A group that formed a presidential exploratory committee for the ousted Democrat announced that it will end a two-month campaign because of lack of support. Traficant is in prison for bribery and racketeering charges.

Marcus Belk, manager of the "Draft Traficant for President 2004" campaign from Jersey City, N.J., said the group was folding because it could not raise the $100,000 needed to qualify for federal matching funds. The group said it had Traficant's permission to run the campaign, and Belk communicated with him by mail.

The group had set a deadline to raise the money by Oct. 1. The third quarter ends Sept. 30 and campaign finance reports must be filed with the Federal Election Commission by Oct. 15.

It was not immediately clear how much money the campaign raised. All donations will be returned, Belk said.

Traficant, who served in the House for nine terms, was expelled from Congress in July 2002 after being convicted of racketeering, bribery and tax evasion. He is serving an 8-year prison sentence at the minimum-security Allenwood federal prison in White Deer, Pa.

The former lawmaker, who is not allowed to take phone calls that haven't been approved in advance, could not be reached for comment.