Bernie Sanders Ends Presidential Campaign
BURLINGTON, VT — Sen. Bernie Sanders announced Wednesday he is suspending his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, clearing the way for former Vice President Joe Biden to secure the nomination.
Sanders confirmed the announcement in a tweet and later addressed supporters in a livestream on his website.
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
“I cannot in good conscience continue to mount a campaign that cannot win and which would interfere with the important work required of all of us in this difficult hour,” Sanders said over a livestream Wednesday morning.
“The path toward victory is virtually impossible,” he continued as he congratulated Biden. The former vice president is "a very decent man whom I will work with to move our progressive ideas forward.”
Sanders supporters including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar weighed in on the news.
Thank you Bernie - for doing your best to fight for all of us, from the beginning, for your entire life.Thank you for fighting hard, lonely fights in true devotion to a people’s movement in the United States.Thank you for your leadership, mentorship, and example. We love you.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 8, 2020
Today, our movement faces a setback.But every single setback is an opportunity to push for progress.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) April 8, 2020
I’ve admired @BernieSanders’ courage for 20 years and loved getting to know him this last year on the trail. He and his supporters are a tremendous force, and I’m looking forward to teaming up to end the Trump presidency and open the door to a better American era.
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) April 8, 2020
Biden issued his own statement in response to the announcement, saying it was hard to sum up Sanders' contributions in a single tweet, so he "wouldn't try to."
"Bernie has put his heart and soul into not only running for president, but for the causes and issues he has been dedicated to his whole life," Biden said. "Bernie has done something rare in politics. He hasn’t just run a political campaign; he’s created a movement. And make no mistake about it, I believe it’s a movement that is as powerful today as it was yesterday."
This election cycle marked Sanders' second run at the presidency. He initially exceeded expectations about his ability to re-create the magic of his 2016 presidential bid, and even overcame a heart attack in October on the campaign trail.
Sanders collected the most votes in the New Hampshire primary and cruised to an easy victory in Nevada, but a crucial endorsement of Biden by influential South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn propelled Biden into Super Tuesday, when he won 10 of 14 states.
Sanders' once-strong lead among a pack of Democratic contenders evaporated as the party lined up behind Biden following the former vice president's strong showing in South Carolina and the Super Tuesday primaries.
Things only got worse the following week, when Sanders lost Michigan, where he had campaigned hard and upset Hillary Clinton in 2016. He was also beaten in Florida, Missouri, Mississippi and Idaho the same night, and the results were so decisive that Sanders headed to Vermont without speaking to the media.
Despite his strong start in the nomination process, Sanders found himself unable gain support from progressives who feared his "electability" and questioned whether his democratic socialist ideology would be palatable to general election voters. He also failed to connect with a majority of African American voters, who overwhelmingly supported Biden in South Carolina and other states such as Alabama and Mississippi.
The new coronavirus pandemic forced Sanders onto the sidelines following his primary defeats, though he continued reaching out to supporters via livestream and television appearances, according to The New York Times. Biden also moved forward, announcing he was forming a team to search for and vet a possible running mate.
Sanders said he will remain on the ballot in states that still have primaries scheduled and would continue to gather delegates — a way of carrying his message forward and influencing the Democratic platform, according to the Times.
“While this campaign is coming to an end, our movement is not,” he said.
This article originally appeared on the White House Patch