Pete Buttigieg quits the race for the White House
Democrat was the first openly gay candidate from a major party
Pete Buttigieg has announced he is ending his campaign for the White House after his campaign lost momentum in recent weeks.
The 38-year-old former Indiana mayor was the first openly gay presidential candidate from a major party.
He told supporters: “We must recognise that at this point in the race, the best way to keep faith with those goals and ideals is to step aside and help bring our party and our nation together.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“So tonight I am making the difficult decision to suspend my campaign for the presidency.”
CNN says Buttigieg's run was “historic”, adding that “he broke barriers by becoming the first gay candidate to earn primary delegates for a major party's presidential nomination”.
The BBC points out that his decision to drop out comes ahead of a key day tomorrow in the Democratic race to take on Trump. It says that by the end of Super Tuesday, “staunch left-winger Bernie Sanders could have an unbeatable lead”.
“He studied the math,” a leading Democrat familiar with the Buttigieg campaign said. “He knew there wasn't a path forward.”
President Donald Trump predicted that the main beneficiary of Buttigieg’s exit would be Joe Biden. He tweeted: “Pete Buttigieg is OUT. All of his SuperTuesday votes will go to Sleepy Joe Biden. Great timing. This is the REAL beginning of the Dems taking Bernie out of play - NO NOMINATION, AGAIN!”
Fox News agreed, saying the development “likely will harm frontrunner Sanders by providing a coalescing boost to more moderate candidates, as Buttigieg had gone on the offensive against the Vermont senator and sought to appeal to the centrist base of the party”.
The departure leaves six Democrats still in the running. Buttigieg has not endorsed any single candidate, but has pledged he would do “everything in my power” to ensure a Democratic win in November's election.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Get your first six issues for £6–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The Pentagon faces an uncertain future with Trump
Talking Point The president-elect has nominated conservative commentator Pete Hegseth to lead the Defense Department
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
This is what you should know about State Department travel advisories and warnings
In Depth Stay safe on your international adventures
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
'All Tyson-Paul promised was spectacle and, in the end, that's all we got'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Joe Biden's legacy: economically strong, politically disastrous
In Depth The President boosted industry and employment, but 'Bidenomics' proved ineffective to winning the elections
By The Week UK Published
-
Should Sonia Sotomayor retire from the Supreme Court?
Talking Points Democrats worry about repeating the history of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Will Donald Trump wreck the Brexit deal?
Today's Big Question President-elect's victory could help UK's reset with the EU, but a free-trade agreement with the US to dodge his threatened tariffs could hinder it
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Where did Democratic voters go?
Voter turnout dropped sharply for Democrats in 2024
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Melania Trump: the second coming of the first lady
The Explainer Melania was absent from Washington for large chunks of her husband's first reign
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
What is the next Tory leader up against?
Today's Big Question Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will have to unify warring factions and win back disillusioned voters – without alienating the centre ground
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Donald Trump and the fascism debate
Talking Points Democrats sound the alarm, but Republicans say 'it's always the F-word'
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Trump aims to be a fascist dictator, John Kelly says
Speed Read The retired general was Trump's chief of staff from 2017 to 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published