Candidate Chaos

Buttigieg, Bloomberg, Warren, and Klobuchar Drop out of the Presidential Race

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Candidates drop out of the presidential race (photo courtesy of Deseret News).

Ellie Coppock, Editor-in-Chief

Over the past week, four candidates have dropped out of the on-going presidential race. The remaining candidates are former Vice President Joe Biden, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, and Hawaiian Representative Tulsi Gabbard.

According to NBC News, former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg ended his campaign on Sunday, March 1. Buttigieg won in the Iowa Caucus, giving him a early advantage. That advantage didn’t last long, as he had trouble appealing to Black and Latino voters. According to CNN, Buttigieg only earned 3% of Black votes in South Carolina. On Monday, March 2, he endorsed Biden.

According to the New York Times, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar dropped out of the race one day after rival Buttigieg. Klobuchar came in a surprising third place in New Hampshire, but the feat was not enough. She also endorsed Biden alongside Buttigieg.

According to BBC News, Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg was next to announce the end of his campaign. Bloomberg spent approximately $500 million leading up to Super Tuesday. He was not on the ballot prior to Super Tuesday. Out of the 14 states, Bloomberg only won American Samoa. He was next to endorse Biden.

According to Politico, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren dropped out on Thursday, March 5. This announcement comes after a rough showing on Super Tuesday, including losing her home state to Biden. Warren has yet to endorse a candidate.

To win the Democratic nomination, candidates must earn 1,991 delegates. If candidates fail to reach this number, Superdelegates vote for the nominee. These Superdelegates are members of the Democratic National Committee. They may vote for whoever they choose, even if they are not on the ballot. Whoever receives the most Superdelegate votes wins the nomination. According to CNN, currently, Biden leads with 552 delegates. Sanders has 489 and Gabbard has 2.