Mike Bloomberg on Wednesday dropped out of the presidential race, ending somewhat of a controversial campaign just hours after citizens finally had the opportunity to vote for him.

Bloomberg, a billionaire who skipped the first four states and debuted on ballots Super Tuesday, failed to find almost any success across the country while his moderate rival Joe Biden continued his nationwide surge. Bloomberg's lone victory Tuesday came in American Samoa. "Three months ago I entered the race to defeat Donald Trump," Bloomberg said in a statement. "I am leaving the race for the same reason: to defeat Donald Trump — because it is clear to me staying in would make achieving that goal more difficult.

"I'm a believer in using data to inform decisions," he continued. "After yesterday's results, the delegate math has become virtually impossible — and a viable path to the nomination no longer exists. But I remain clear-eyed about my overriding objective: victory in November. Not for me, but for our country. And so while I will not be the nominee, I will not walk away from the most important political fight of my life." Bloomberg threw his support behind Biden.

"Defeating Trump starts with uniting behind the candidate with the best shot to do it," Bloomberg tweeted. "It's clear that is my friend and a great American, @JoeBiden." The Medford native and former mayor of New York City predicated his campaign on the assumption that moderates wanted a strong alternative should Biden stumble out of the gate. Biden did, but a weekend resurgence keyed by is South Carolina victory coalesced the moderate wing behind him on Super Tuesday, leaving Bloomberg without a path to victory.



Bloomberg scored high in polls after he announced his candidacy, pouring hundreds of millions of dollars of advertising into key states. He was accused by fellow candidates of trying to buy the election.

But Bloomberg failed miserably on the debate stage — Sen. Elizabeth Warren made sure of that — and the early intrigue never translated into votes.

Bloomberg, 78, has been one of the major donors to Democratic causes and candidates in America. Attention now turns to Warren, who will be facing intensifying calls to drop out after a disastrous showing on Super Tuesday.