U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders ended his presidential campaign April 8, allowing Joe Biden to complete his path to the Democratic nominationand a showdown with President Donald Trump in November, CNN.com reported.
This development was unexpected, considering Sanders' strong performances in the first three primary elections that happened in February. The nomination appeared his for the taking until Biden surged to a blowout victory in South Carolina that turned into momentum for the former vice president.
The contest ends now as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, which halted in-person campaigning for Sanders and Biden and has led many states to delay their primary elections.
In a statement that Windy City Times obtained, Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David said, "Throughout his campaign and career in public service, Senator Bernie Sanders has driven equality forward for marginalized communities and energized voters from every walk of life. He created a movement centered on issues of justice that elevated issues long overlooked on the national stage.
"People of every community responded to the senator's call for changes to a status quo that has failed to address a variety of issues affecting marginalized communities across the nation. This important conversation will continue, thanks to Sen. Sanders' tireless efforts."
The CNN.com article is at www.cnn.com/2020/04/08/politics/bernie-sanders-drops-out/index.html .