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P. 5
U.S. NEWS A5
Wednesday 21 October
Webb dropping democratic bid for president
Former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, accompanied by his wife Hong Le Webb, pauses as he announc- with more than $300,000 in
es he will drop out of the Democratic race for president, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015, during a news the bank. Rivals like Clinton
conference at the National Press Club in Washington. and Vermont Sen. Bernie
Sanders have raised mil-
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) lions for the campaign.
Webb surprised many fel-
low Democrats when he
became the first major
figure in the party to form
a presidential exploratory
committee in November.
Webb, 69, a decorated
veteran of the Vietnam
War, has promoted crimi-
nal justice reform and
an overhaul of the cam-
paign finance system
and has been critical of
the Obama administra-
tion’s foreign policy. He
has urged Democrats to
appeal to working-class
Americans and white vot-
ers in the South who have
left the Democratic party
in recent elections.q
KEN THOMAS said, “We’ll think about
LAURIE KELLMAN that.”
Associated Press If Webb chose to run as an
WASHINGTON (AP) — Jim independent, he would
Webb, a longshot rival to face long odds in raising
front-runner Hillary Rodham enough money and build-
Clinton, said Tuesday he is ing a strong enough orga-
dropping out of the Demo- nization outside of the two-
cratic race for president party system to get on the
and is considering his op- ballot in 50 states. Outsider
tions about how he might candidates have struggled
“remain as a voice” in the to amass broad support
campaign. in the past: businessman
The former Virginia senator Ross Perot got 19 percent
said at a news conference of the vote in 1992 and 8
that he is “withdrawing percent in 1996. Consumer
from any consideration” advocate Ralph Nader got
of becoming the Demo- 3 percent of the vote as a
cratic party’s nominee and Green Party candidate in
would spend the coming 2000 but garnered enough
weeks exploring his options liberal support in Florida to
about a possible indepen- prevent Democrat Al Gore
dent bid. from carrying the state and
“The very nature of our winning the presidency.
democracy is under siege A Vietnam veteran and for-
due to the power struc- mer member of President
ture and the money that Ronald Reagan’s adminis-
finances both political par- tration, Webb complained
ties,” Webb said, joined by that he did not get the
his wife, Hong Le Webb. chance to make his views
“Our political candidates fully known at the first Dem-
are being pulled to the ex- ocratic debate.
tremes. He has trailed badly in the
They’re increasingly out field that includes Clinton
of step with the people and Vermont Sen. Bernie
they’re supposed to serve.” Sanders.
Webb said many of the is- Webb has been polling in
sues that he cares about the back of the pack with
are not in line with the hi- former Maryland Gov. Mar-
erarchy of the Democratic tin O’Malley and former
party, saying he did not Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln
have a “clear, exact fit” in Chafee.
either party. Webb has raised only
Asked if he still considers about $700,000 and ended
himself a Democrat, Webb the month of September
