Several Democrat candidates bid Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) farewell following his decision to drop out of the Democrat primary race, leaving a field of largely white candidates.
Booker, who has been struggling to successfully appeal to the bulk of Democrat primary voters, officially ended his White House bid on Monday, citing fundraising struggles.
“It’s with a full heart that I share this news — I’ve made the decision to suspend my campaign for president,” Booker wrote to supporters.
“It was a difficult decision to make, but I got in this race to win, and I’ve always said I wouldn’t continue if there was no longer a path to victory,” he continued.
He added:
Our campaign has reached the point where we need more money to scale up and continue building a campaign that can win — money we don’t have, and money that is harder to raise because I won’t be on the next debate stage and because the urgent business of impeachment will rightly be keeping me in Washington,” the senator added. “So I’ve chosen to suspend my campaign now, take care of my wonderful staff, and give you time to consider the other strong choices in the field.
It’s with a full heart that I share this news—I’m suspending my campaign for president.
To my team, supporters, and everyone who gave me a shot—thank you. I am so proud of what we built, and I feel nothing but faith in what we can accomplish together. pic.twitter.com/Fxvc549vlJ
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) January 13, 2020
Several Democrat candidates thanked Booker for his presence in the race.
“Thank you @CoryBooker for running an inspiring campaign to make this the country based on love and justice we know we can become,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) wrote.
“I look forward to working together to defeat Trump, end his hatred, and lift up working people everywhere,” he added:
Thank you @CoryBooker for running an inspiring campaign to make this the country based on love and justice we know we can become. I look forward to working together to defeat Trump, end his hatred, and lift up working people everywhere. pic.twitter.com/Zs7TlFNlub
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) January 13, 2020
“.@CoryBooker joined this race knowing that progress is only possible when we rise together,” former Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) wrote.
“From fighting for criminal justice reform to championing Baby Bonds, he leads with compassion and conviction—I look forward to working with him to meet our challenges with common purpose,” he added:
.@CoryBooker joined this race knowing that progress is only possible when we rise together.
From fighting for criminal justice reform to championing Baby Bonds, he leads with compassion and conviction—I look forward to working with him to meet our challenges with common purpose. https://t.co/1vK6P7tTwz
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) January 13, 2020
“Cory, you campaigned with joy and heart, and instead of just talking about bringing people together, you did it every day,” Biden wrote, adding that Booker “made our politics better just by running”:
Cory, you campaigned with joy and heart, and instead of just talking about bringing people together, you did it every day. You made our politics better just by running. Grateful to you and looking forward to your continued leadership.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 13, 2020
More:
I will miss my friend Cory Booker so much on the campaign trail. We were friends before this started and are even better friends now. The one thing about Cory—he never stops standing up for what is right…so, the best is yet to come! pic.twitter.com/XBv2OYTucv
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) January 13, 2020
Senator Booker’s commitment and love for the country is clear. He’s right that uniting as a people is how we tackle our biggest challenges. I know he’s going to continue to lead in this fight.
— Tom Steyer (@TomSteyer) January 13, 2020
It’s no surprise that @CoryBooker generated so many dedicated staff, volunteers, and supporters. He’s as true a public servant as you’ll find anywhere. He made this race more compassionate and optimistic, and I look forward to many more years of his inspired leadership. pic.twitter.com/YmgKjsfhf0
— Michael Bennet (@MichaelBennet) January 13, 2020
Thank you, @CoryBooker. You’ve always been a powerful voice for justice and equality, and you’ve made this primary stronger. I know you will continue to be a leader in the fight to defeat Donald Trump and build a stronger future for America. pic.twitter.com/5rAwSS2wPR
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) January 13, 2020
.@CoryBooker ran a strong and substantive campaign to lift and inspire Americans, which speaks to the heart of the guy that I’ve known and supported for many years — from when we worked together on issues as mayors. New Jersey is lucky to have Cory fighting for them.
— Mike Bloomberg (@MikeBloomberg) January 13, 2020
Cory Booker – my friend, my brother. Running alongside you has been one of the joyous parts of this race. You inspire me and millions of other Americans to be better and do better. I will miss seeing you and Rosario on the trail, but not for long. The fight continues. 🙏🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/4W7IBGmjFq
— Andrew Yang (@AndrewYang) January 13, 2020
Booker’s departure further diminishes the Democrat Party’s once racially diverse field, which began to thin following Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Julián Castro’s (D) respective departures. Booker’s absence, however, has no bearing on Tuesday’s Democrat debate in Des Moines, Iowa, as he did not meet the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) requirements.
The debate stage will feature all white candidates, as Andrew Yang (D) failed to meet the DNC’s increased polling threshold.
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/breitbart/~3/opDMIYRKnkw/