‘Not as a candidate or as the nominee’: Beto O’Rourke drops from presidential race

O'Rourke wrote a letter announcing his resignation from the race and explaining his decision.

TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke announced that he is dropping out of the race on Friday afternoon.

He said that it is clear to him that his campaign does not have the means to move forward successfully, and for that reason, he will not continue in the race.

O’Rourke wrote a letter announcing his resignation from the race and explaining his decision.

Though it is difficult to accept, it is clear to me now that this campaign does not have the means to move forward successfully. My service to the country will not be as a candidate or as the nominee. 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.

Beto O’Rourke

He noted that he decided to run for president to bring a divided country together in the face of “the greatest set of challenges we’ve ever faced.”

In a series of tweets, he expressed his gratefulness to all those who supported him during his campaign and urged his followers to “fearlessly champion the issues and causes that brought us together.”

He ended his letter cementing his support for the Democratic candidates still in the race.

“We will work to ensure that the Democratic nominee is successful in defeating Donald Trump in 2020. I can tell you firsthand from having the chance to know the candidates, we will be well served by any one of them, and I’m going to be proud to support whoever that nominee is.”

Beto had previously served as a Texas Congressman from 2013 to 2019 until he announced his run for president in March.