Breaking: Dem Field Gets Major Shakeup as Pete Buttigieg Is Dropping Out
Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg is suspending his presidential campaign, according to multiple reports.
The New York Times and The Washington Post were just two of the outlets reporting Sunday that Buttigieg planned to make a formal announcement later in the evening.
The general sentiment from the Buttigieg camp appeared to be that the former mayor simply did not see a path forward when it came to winning the Democratic presidential nomination.
Buttigieg prevailed in the Iowa caucuses last month, and finished a close second in the New Hampshire primary behind Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who’s widely regarded as the front-runner for the nomination.
But he finished third in the Nevada caucuses and fourth in Saturday’s South Carolina primary, which former Vice President Joe Biden won.
And despite his early success, Buttigieg was struggling nationally — as of Sunday, the RealClearPolitics polling average had him with just 11 percent support nationwide.
Buttigieg aide says they didn’t see a clear path to the nomination. Buttigieg will give a speech about unity tonight. Unclear if that includes an endorsement.
— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) March 1, 2020
Mayor Pete suspends his Dem primary campaign after a 4th place showing in South Carolina
— Andrew Malcolm (@AHMalcolm) March 1, 2020
NEW: Buttigieg will announce he is suspending his campaign tonight in South Bend, per a campaign aide. (via @VaughnHillyard)
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) March 1, 2020
#Breaking: Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg will suspend his presidential campaign in a speech tonight, a senior campaign aide confirms to NPR.
— NPR (@NPR) March 1, 2020
“We are making a change in our travel plans and traveling to South Bend rather than to Texas. I’m gonna be making an announcement there about the future of the campaign,” Buttigieg told reporters Sunday, according to MSNBC.
Buttigieg to reporters: “We are making a change in our travel plans and traveling to South Bend rather than to Texas. I’m gonna be making an announcement there about the future of the campaign.” – @PriscillaWT
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) March 1, 2020
The news that Buttigieg is dropping out represents a major shakeup in the Democratic primary race with Super Tuesday, when Democratic voters in 14 states will cast their votes, just two days away.
Pete Buttigieg voters — who is their second choice in the Dem primary?
Per @MorningConsult:
21% say Sanders
19% say Biden
19% say Warren
17% say Bloomberg— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) March 1, 2020
NEWS: Pete Buttigieg is heading to South Bend to announce he will suspend his campaign.
— Reid J. Epstein (@reidepstein) March 1, 2020
An aide for @PeteButtigieg confirms to me: “Pete is heading back to South Bend and will give a speech tonight suspending his campaign.”
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) March 1, 2020
And Buttigieg’s reported departure from the race leaves just five major candidates standing: Biden, Sanders, former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
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