Ryan Ends His Democratic Presidential Campaign
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan today announced via tweet and a video to his supporters that he is dropping out of the Democratic race for the 2020 presidential nomination.
Ryan said after seven months on the campaign trail, he would be returning to Ohio to seek reelection to the House of Representatives.
“I got into this race in April to really give voice to the forgotten people of our country: the workers who have been left behind, the businesses who have been left behind, the people who need health care or aren’t getting a quality education, or are saddled by tremendous debt,” he said. “I’m proud of this campaign because I believe we’ve done that. We’ve given voice to the forgotten communities and the forgotten people in the United States.”
Ryan was polling below 1%, had failed to qualify for the last two Democratic primary debates, and had no chance to qualify for future debates. He raised just $425,000 in the third quarter, also well below the total dollar and individual donor thresholds set by the Democratic National Committee.
Ryan, who represents Ohio’s 13th congressional district and lives in Howland with his wife, Andrea, and their three children, never really got his campaign off the ground. His announcement of his candidacy drew a small crowd to downtown, and his performance in the first debate drew criticism when he failed to put his hand over his heart as the Star Spangled Banner played.
Ryan clarified it was an oversight but still found himself the butt of jokes by late-night TV comedians.
His candidacy did, however, succeed in raising his national political profile, and he frequently was interviewed on cable news programs although in recent weeks he dropped out of view as his poll numbers betrayed his statements that he would stay in the campaign to the very end.
The campaign also was successful in raising the profile of economic issues that plague this city, the Mahoning Valley and the region as a whole — lack of jobs, good health care and education.
“We’re going to continue to try to shift how business is done in the United States, worrying about stakeholders for businesses not just shareholders,” he vowed. “So I’ll continue to fight.”
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
