[vemba-video id=”politics/2019/11/01/beto-orourke-drops-out-2020-race-sot-tsr-vpx.cnn”
Former Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke announced Friday that he is ending his 2020 presidential campaign, hours ahead of a marquee dinner in Iowa.
O’Rourke told supporters in an email that he will not run for office next year. That means he will also not become a Senate candidate in Texas, despite pleas from some Democrats for him to take on Republican Sen. John Cornyn.
“Though it is difficult to accept, it is clear to me now that this campaign does not have the means to move forward successfully,” O’Rourke said in a statement.
“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.”
This story is breaking and will be updated.