April 08, 2020 09:02 AM UTC

Bernie Sanders Drops Out of Presidential Race

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• by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE: From The Washington Post:

Sanders’s decision closes one of the most remarkable chapters in modern political history. His advocacy for sweeping liberal ideas, such as Medicare-for-all and tuition-free public college, shifted the national debate over the role of government.

His unexpected success in the first three primary contests made him the best-performing socialist contender in U.S. history, as well the strongest Jewish presidential candidate. At 78, Sanders was also the oldest candidate to go so far in the process.

But his campaign’s failure to capture the support of a majority of Democrats, on sharp display once the field narrowed to Sanders and Biden, underlined the limits of his left-leaning politics. A loss in the Michigan primary was especially damaging, undercutting Sanders’s message that he could expand the Democratic electorate by winning industrial areas.

Sanders also was unable to win widespread support in the African American community, a fatal problem in a party where black voters play a critical role.

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As CNN reports, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders announced today in a call with his staff that he is formally ending his campaign for the Democratic Presidential nomination.

Sanders had fallen behind former Vice President Joe Biden in the delegate race just before the coronavirus outbreak upended, well, everything. For those of you keeping track at home, this means the General Election matchup will be between Biden and President Trump.

We’ll have more on this story as information becomes available.