Decision to Suspend Primary in Rechallenge After 4 Years Since 2016 Defeat
November Presidential Election Set for Biden-Trump Head-to-Head Matchup
[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Socialist Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator, has abandoned his second presidential bid.
According to CNN and other outlets, on the 8th (local time), Senator Sanders decided to withdraw from the Democratic presidential primary and informed his campaign staff of this decision.
With Sanders' withdrawal, former Vice President Joe Biden, who was leading the primary race, has effectively secured the Democratic presidential nomination and will face President Donald Trump in the November 3rd general election.
Senator Sanders had surged to the front early in the primary, raising the possibility of the first socialist U.S. presidential candidate.
However, as moderate candidates such as former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg dropped out one after another to consolidate support behind Biden, the situation reversed. Sanders suffered a major setback after losing to Biden on "Super Tuesday" and had been considered likely to drop out.
Despite being an independent, Sanders entered the 2020 Democratic presidential primary following his 2016 run, causing successive waves of disruption. In the 2016 primary, he completed the race against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton but was narrowly defeated.
In the 2020 primary, Sanders gained popularity especially among younger voters by advocating for universal healthcare, but he lagged behind former Vice President Biden in support from minority groups and ultimately failed to complete the race. The postponement of primaries due to the COVID-19 pandemic also made it difficult for Sanders to maintain momentum.
CNN reported that Sanders' exit dealt a significant blow to the progressive camp. Progressive Senator Elizabeth Warren had also withdrawn from the race earlier.
On the other hand, former Vice President Biden can now conclude the primary early and focus on the general election against President Trump. However, despite criticism of President Trump's handling of COVID-19 in the U.S., his rising approval ratings suggest a challenging contest ahead. Although Trump has halted campaign rallies, he attends daily COVID-19 task force press briefings, effectively continuing campaign activities.
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