Sen. Bernie Sanders announced he was suspending his 2020 presidential campaign on Tuesday in a live-streamed video address to the nation.
While his campaign is now effectively over Sanders said during his remarks that while "the path toward victory is virtually impossible," he would remain on the ballot in the remaining primary contests in order to win as many possible delegates going into the Democratic National Convention this summer. Sanders acknowledged that former Vice President Joe Biden had an all but insurmountable lead and will be the nominee.
"If I believed we had a feasible path to the nomination, I would certainly continue the campaign. But it's just not there," Sanders said. "I congratulate Joe Biden, a very decent man, who I will work with to move our progressive ideas forward."
Sanders thanked all his campaign staff and supporters for their tireless work, and said that he will continue to fight alongside all those working for a better world and the ambitious policy agenda his campaign championed.
"The greatest obstacle to real social change has everything to do with the power of the corporate and political establishment to limit our vision as to what is possible and what we are entitled to as human beings," Sanders said.
"Focusing on [a] new vision for America," he added, "is what our campaign has been about and what, in fact, we have accomplished."
Watch the address:
Watch live video from Bernie_Sanders on www.twitch.tv
As the news broke, members of the campaign and other supporters weighed in:
It was a good campaign against the odds in every single way & has clearly changed the course of history for the better. Feel bad but also feel proud — and feel hopeful that Trump will be defeated and the movement for real change will grow. It will. #InThisTogether
— David Sirota (@davidsirota) April 8, 2020
“Mr. Sanders leaves the campaign having almost single-handedly moved the Democratic Party to the left. He inspired the modern progressive movement with his expansive policy agenda and his impassioned message that “health care is a human right” https://t.co/tY6rA5INF5
— Josh Orton (@joshorton) April 8, 2020
"I respect his decision," tweeted progressive journalist Krystal Ball, "but I think this is the wrong move."
