Wednesday, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, suspended his presidential campaign. The decision means that former Vice President Joe Biden (D) will almost certainly be the Democratic nominee for President this fall.
“I wish I could give you better news, but I think you know the truth,” Sanders said. “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.”
“While this campaign is coming to an end, our movement is not,” Sanders stated. “We are now 300 delegates behind former Vice President Joe Biden.”
Sanders said that the delegate count made his winning the nomination “impossible.” The self described socialist did not endorse Biden on Wednesday; but he did call Biden “a very decent man.”
Sanders will remain on the ballot in order to, “Continue working to assemble, as many delegates as possible at the Democratic Convention, where we will be able to exert significant influence over the party platform.”
“I want to congratulate Vice President Biden and his team on their victory, and I also want to congratulate Senator Sanders and his team on a well-fought campaign,” said Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez. “Senator Sanders and his campaign have strengthened the Democratic Party with their energy, ideas, and leadership, and we need them to continue helping lead the fight to transform this country.”
“Now it is time to come together and unite around our presumptive nominee,” Perez continued. “It’s time to finish the fight and send Joe Biden to the White House and elect Democrats in every corner of this country. Today marks the first day in what will be nothing short of the fight of our lifetimes.”
President Donald J. Trump (R) appealed to Sanders voters to support his re-election and blamed U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, for Sanders’ failure to secure the Democratic nomination.
“Bernie Sanders is OUT! Thank you to Elizabeth Warren,” Trump said on Twitter. “If not for her, Bernie would have won almost every state on Super Tuesday!” the president tweeted. “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!”
“It is no secret that Donald Trump and his Republican allies are going to try to do everything in their power to try to divide us, but we cannot — and will not — let that happen,” Perez said.
Sanders spent $160 million; but failed to grow his pro-socialist base.
Alabama played a key role in thwarting Sanders and giving Biden the nomination.
Sanders had the most votes in the Iowa caucus; but finished second to South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg there. Sanders won New Hampshire; but by a much smaller margin than he did in 2016. Sanders won the Nevada Caucus, beating Biden there by 20 points. Congresswoman Terri Sewell endorsed Biden and campaigned for him in South Carolina. Biden went on to win the South Carolina primary just days before the critical Super Tuesday primaries. U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Alabama) was an early endorsee of Biden and campaigned with the former VP in the days before the Alabama primary. Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg dropped out of the race and endorsed Biden as moderate Democrats coalesced against the socialist Sanders. Sanders won the California primary; but lost Alabama and numerous other Super Tuesday states emerging from the day as the leader in the Democratic delegate count. Biden has dominated the primaries since his Super Tuesday win despite spending the last several weeks sequestered in his Delaware home due to the coronavirus.
Original reporting by Breitbart News and CBS News contributed to this report.
