Beto O'Rourke announces end of 2020 presidential campaign
Democrat Beto O'Rourke has announced he's dropping his 2020 presidential bid, according to his Twitter account.
O'Rourke had been struggling to break through a crowded Democratic field. He entered the race in March with the buzz from his narrow 2018 Senate loss to Republican incumbent Ted Cruz in Texas. But as the excitement over his candidacy began to fade, O'Rourke was forced to stage a "reintroduction" of his campaign to reinvigorate it. After a mass shooting in his hometown of El Paso, Texas, he began to center his campaign on gun violence prevention.
GRAND PRAIRIE, TX - OCTOBER 17: Democratic presidential candidate, former Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-TX) speaks during a campaign rally on October 17, 2019 in Grand Prairie, Texas. O'Rourkes Rally Against Fear was held to counter President Trump's campaig
"Our campaign has been about seeing clearly, speaking honestly and acting decisively in the best interests of America," his blog post reads. "Though it is difficult to accept, it is clear to me now that this campaign does not have the means to move forward successfully."
"Acknowledging this now is in the best interests of those in the campaign; it is in the best interests of this party as we seek to unify around a nominee; and it is in the best interests of the country." he said. "Let us continue to fearlessly champion the issues and causes that brought us together. Whether it is ending the epidemic of gun violence or dismantling structural racism or successfully confronting climate change, we will continue to organize and mobilize and act."
O'Rourke is the tenth Democratic candidate to drop out of the race, leaving 17 total candidates left to vie for the bid.