就在周二新罕布什尔州初选结果公布前不久,企业家杨安泽退出了民主党竞选。
杨在新罕布什尔州对他的一群支持者说:“虽然很明显还有很多工作要做,但你知道我是搞数学的,从数字上看,我们显然不会赢得这场比赛。”。“我不想在一场我们不会赢的比赛中接受捐赠和支持。”
“所以今晚,”杨继续说道,“我宣布暂停我的总统竞选。”
“这不是一个容易的决定,也不是我和球队一起轻易做出的决定,”杨补充道。“结局是艰难的,我一直想在这场比赛中坚持到底。但我已经被说服,我的竞选信息不会因为继续留在这场比赛中而得到加强。”
杨没有公开支持任何剩余的候选人。
“我刚开始竞选时的目标是解决唐纳德·特朗普当选的问题,”杨说。"为了做到这一点,我将支持民主党提名人."
2020年2月9日,新罕布什尔州霍普金顿,民主党总统候选人杨安泽在霍普金顿市政厅的竞选活动中发表讲话。
杨致远宣布这一决定的时机是在爱荷华州的党团会议上表现不佳之后。会议结束时,杨致远没有获得任何代表,只得到了1%的选票,排在亿万富翁汤姆·施泰尔之前的第六位。在爱荷华州表现不佳后,杨解雇了几十名竞选团队成员,包括他的国家政治处副处长。
作为对候选人暂停竞选的回应,杨的随行新闻秘书埃里克·桑切斯在推特上写道:“过去的五个月是我一生中最大的荣誉。从明天开始,我很高兴从你的员工晋升为你的朋友。安德烈扬,谢谢你的挑战和灵感。永远,我是#杨刚。”
在他公开宣布退出竞选的决定之前,杨在推特上写道,“我为这次竞选感到骄傲。感谢所有让我们来到这里的人。”
杨的竞选活动包括一项全民基本收入提案,该提案将每月向符合条件的美国人支付约1000美元。他的草根支持者称自己为,他们经常通过社交媒体支持杨的平台。
科罗拉多州参议员麦克·班尼星期二晚上也退出了民主党总统竞选。自2019年7月以来,贝内特没有达到民主党国家党设定的参与辩论的门槛。
班纳特温和的政纲反对更为进步的全民医保理念,转而选择公共保险购买选项,同时保留私人保险提供商。在爱荷华州的党团会议上,班纳特没有获得任何代表或任何百分比的选票。
ANDREW YANG DROPS OUT OF DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL RACE AS NEW HAMPSHIRE RESULTS ROLL IN
Entrepreneur Andrew Yang has dropped out of the Democratic race only moments before results were announced in Tuesday's New Hampshire primaries.
"While it is clear that there is great work left to be done, you know I am the math guy, and it's clear by the numbers that we are not going to win this race," Yang told a group of his supporters in New Hampshire. "I am not someone who wants to accept donations and support in a race that we will not win."
"And so tonight," Yang continued, "I am announcing I am suspending my campaign for president."
"This is not an easy decision or something I made lightly with the team," Yang added. "Endings are hard and I've always had the intention to stay in this race until the very end. But I have been persuaded that the message of my campaign will not be strengthened by staying in this race any longer."
Yang did not publicly endorse any of the remaining candidates.
"My goal when I first started running was to solve the problems that got Donald Trump elected," Yang said. "In order to do that, I will support whoever is the Democratic nominee."
Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang speaks during a campaign event at Hopkinton Town Hall on February 9, 2020 in Hopkinton, New Hampshire.
The timing of Yang's announcement comes after a poor showing in Iowa's caucus, which ended with Yang receiving no delegates and only 1 percent of the vote, placing him in sixth place ahead of billionaire businessman Tom Steyer. After his poor showing in Iowa, Yang laid off dozens of campaign staffers, including his deputy national political director.
In response to the candidate's decision to suspend his campaign, Yang's traveling press secretary Erick Sanchez tweeted, "The past five months have been the greatest honor of my life. Starting tomorrow, I'm thrilled to be promoted from your employee to your friend. Thank you, @AndrewYang, for the challenge and the inspiration. Forever, I am #YangGang."
Before he publicly announced his decision to exit the race Yang tweeted, "I am so proud of this campaign. Thank you to everyone who got us here."
Yang's campaign featured a proposal for a Universal Basic Income which would pay eligible Americans approximately $1,000 per month. His grassroots supporters collectively referred to themselves as the #YangGang and they often took to social media to espouse Yang's platform.
Colorado Senator Michael Bennet also exited the Democratic race for president Tuesday night. Bennet had not met the thresholds set by the Democratic National Party for inclusion in the debates since July 2019.
Bennet's moderate platform opposed the more progressive idea of Medicare for All, opting instead for a public insurance purchasing option while keeping private insurance providers. In the Iowa caucuses, Bennet did not receive any delegates or any percentage of the vote.