Sanders first made the announcement in a call with his staff, his campaign said.
“I wish I could give you better news, but I think you know the truth, and that is that we are now some 300 delegates behind Vice President Biden, and the path toward victory is virtually impossible,” Sanders said in a livestream after the call. “So 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’ exit caps a stunning reversal of fortune following a strong performance in the first three states that voted in February. The nomination appeared his for the taking until, on the last day of February, Biden surged to a blowout victory in
South Carolina that set off a
consolidation of moderate voters around the former vice president. The contest ends now as the country continues to grapple with the
coronavirus pandemic, which halted in-person campaigning for both Sanders and Biden and has led many states to
delay their primary elections.
