New York mayor Bill de Blasio ends US presidential race

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced he is pulling out of the Democratic race for the White House.

"I have reached a point where I feel I have contributed all I can to this primary," the 58-year-old said in an email to supporters.

Observers say his campaign had failed to take off within a wide field of Democrats seeking to be nominated as the party's presidential candidate.

Despite him dropping out 19 more remain in the race.

Mr De Blasio attained a landslide victory in 2013 to become New York's first Democratic mayor in a decade.

He implemented a programme of free universal pre-school and made police wear body cameras in the most populous city in the US. Mr de Blasio was rewarded for his efforts at the polls: re-elected in 2017 with more 66% of the vote.

Still, New Yorkers did not get behind their mayor's presidential bid. A Quinnipiac poll from one month before he announced found that 76% of the city did not want him to run.

Announcing his decision to leave the race, Mr de Blasio thanked supporters, describing his presidential campaign as a "profound experience".

Steve Simmonds

WWB News