Delaney ends bid for Democratic nod

CONCORD, N.H. — John Delaney, the longest-running Democratic candidate in the 2020 presidential race, ended his campaign Friday after pouring millions of his own money into an effort that failed to resonate with voters.

Delaney’s announcement further winnowed down a primary field that had once stood at more than two dozen.

“At this moment in time, this is not the purpose God has for me,” Delaney said in an interview with CNN. “We’ve clearly shaped the debate in a very positive way.”

The former Maryland congressman has been running for president since July 2017, though Delaney’s early start did little to give him an advantage in the race or raise his name recognition with Democratic primary voters. Delaney last appeared on the Democratic debate stage in July but continued to campaign even as his presidential effort largely failed to gain traction.

In a field dominated by well-known candidates from the liberal wing of the party, Delaney, 56, called for a moderate approach with “real solutions, not impossible promises,” and dubbed the progressive goal of “Medicare for All” to be “political suicide.”

Delaney renewed his criticism of front-runners Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts on his way out of the race, saying the party’s future rests with moderates such as former Vice President Joe Biden and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

Despite the criticisms, Delaney pledged to “campaign incredibly hard” for whoever won the Democratic nomination.