The US senator from Vermont Bernie Sanders has announced that he is dropping out of the Democratic presidential race, leaving Joe Biden to become the presumptive Democratic nominee and face off against Donald Trump—who is the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee—in the 2020 presidential election.
Sanders’ campaign announced that he had told his staff in a conference call of his decision to pull out of the race. He then tweeted saying he would make a special address to his supporters at 11:45 EST.
Sanders, 78, addressed his supporters in a live message streamed on Twitch and Periscope.
Today I am suspending my campaign. But while the campaign ends, the struggle for justice continues on. https://t.co/MYc7kt2b16
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) April 8, 2020
Expressing his gratitude for “helping to create an unprecedented grass roots political campaign”, Sanders thanked his volunteers, campaign staff, as well as the two million people who contributed to his campaign.
“I wish I could give you better news, but I think you know the truth,” Sanders said.
“While we are winning the ideological battle and while we are winning the support of so many young people and working people throughout the country, I have concluded that this battle for the Democratic nomination will not be successful. And so today I am announcing the suspension of my campaign,” Sanders said, noting that Joe Biden’s delegate lead had made victory “virtually impossible”.
“I cannot in good conscience, continue a campaign that cannot win,” he said, mentioning Biden’s delegate lead of 300.
Sanders quoted Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela to say that his movement would continue.
“Together we have transformed the American consciousness as to what kind of nation we can become and taking this country a major step forward in the never-ending struggle for economic justice, social justice, racial justice, and economic justice."
Sanders said he congratulated former Vice President Joe Biden and said that, standing together, they would work to defeat Donald Trump, “The most dangerous president in US history”.
However, Sanders said he would remain on the ballot in states that had upcoming primaries in a bid to influence the Democratic party at the Democratic National Convention in August.
Sanders had suffered a string of defeats to Biden in the recent Democratic primaries, which were later interrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak. He promoted his campaign as a “political revolution” against the political and economic elite of America, pitting his movement as that of the 99 per cent against that of the 1 per cent.
His loss to Biden came after the South Carolina primary saw black voters back Biden over Sanders, following which the Vermont senator saw a string of losses in the Super Tuesday primaries, winning California but losing 10 others states to Biden.
Reactions to Sanders’ exit started flooding in across social media.
Trump tweeted soon after the news broke, blaming Elizabeth Warren for Sanders’ exit.
“Bernie Sanders is OUT! Thank you to Elizabeth Warren. If not for her, Bernie would have won almost every state on Super Tuesday! This ended just like the Democrats & the DNC wanted, same as the Crooked Hillary fiasco. The Bernie people should come to the Republican Party, TRADE!” Trump tweeted.
Trump also commented on Sander’s decision to stay on the ballots, “Wow, Bernie is unwilling to give up his delegates, and wants more of them! What’s that all about?”.
“Bernie Sanders started the political revolution. It's on us to continue it. #ThankYouBernie” tweeted the Democratic Socialists of America.
Biden reacted soberly with a series of tweets praising Sanders for his efforts and promising to win over Sanders’s voters.
“I know Bernie well. He’s a good man, a great leader, and one of the most powerful voices for change in our country. And it’s hard to sum up his contributions to our politics in one, single tweet. So I won’t try to.”
“And to Bernie’s supporters: I know that I need to earn your votes. And I know that might take time. But I want you to know that I see you, I hear you, and I understand the urgency of this moment. I hope you'll join us. You're more than welcome: You're needed.”
“Together we will defeat Donald Trump. But we will also address the climate crisis. We will make college affordable. And we will make health care available to all. We will not just rebuild this nation – we’ll transform it. And I’m asking you to join me,” Biden tweeted.
Together we will defeat Donald Trump. But we will also address the climate crisis. We will make college affordable. And we will make health care available to all. We will not just rebuild this nation – we’ll transform it. And I’m asking you to join me. https://t.co/vJXlroCdDd
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 8, 2020
This was Sanders’ second unsuccessful bid for president, after he also failed to take the nomination from Hillary Clinton in 2016.
