The only Hindu and last woman left in the race earlier supported Bernie Sanders.
Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu in US Congress, has ended her long shot presidential run and endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden to challenge President Donald Trump in the November 2020 election.
Samoan-American Hawaii Congresswoman, Gabbard who was backed by a section of the Indian American community due to her religion, announced the suspension of her campaign in a statement Thursday.
“I know Vice President Biden and his wife and am grateful to have called his son Beau, who also served in the National Guard, a friend,” Gabbard said.
“Although I may not agree with the Vice President on every issue, I know that he has a good heart and is motivated by his love for our country and the American people.”
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Gabbard, who had backed Vermont senator Bernie Sanders in 2016 for the Democratic Party nomination, said Tuesday’s primary results, when Biden swept the races in Arizona, Florida and Illinois, made voters’ choice clear.
Citing coronavirus as another reason for leaving the race, Gabbard said Americans and the global community needed to work together to fight the pandemic.
“I feel that the best way I can be of service at this time is to continue to work for the health and wellbeing of the people of Hawaii and our country in Congress, and to stand ready to serve in uniform should the Hawaii National Guard be activated,” she said.
While Gabbard could never attain front runner status in the race, there was some speculation that she may mount a third-party bid.
The only woman left in the race also had a public feud with former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who without offering any evidence suggested that Gabbard was essentially a Russian asset.
RELATED: Tulsi Gabbard outraises Kamala Harris among Indian American donors (April 20, 2019)
Gabbard’s act of just voting ‘present’ on articles of impeachment against Trump also did not go down well with some of her fellow Democrats.
Gabbard was also criticized for her frequent appearances on Republican supporting Fox News, which she defended by saying that she wanted to speak to everyone.
The 2020 US presidential race began on a very diverse note with as many as four women candidates in the fray.
But following the exit of them all including Indian American Kamala Harris, it has become a two horse race for Democratic nomination between two white men — Biden and Sanders.