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Andrew Yang Drops Out of Democratic Presidential Campaign

Andrew Yang Drops Out of Democratic Presidential Campaign

(Bloomberg) -- Entrepreneur Andrew Yang is ending the presidential campaign he built on the promise of a universal basic income of $1,000 a month for every American over the age of 18.

Yang made the announcement in an interview with Washington Post reporters in New Hampshire on Tuesday.

He told the reporters that he did not foresee broad enough support in upcoming primary states to win delegates, and declined to endorse another candidate.

Andrew Yang Drops Out of Democratic Presidential Campaign

The 45-year-old first-time candidate, who built an online following known as the #YangGang, said the monthly stipend was the best way to offset the impact of accelerating displacement of workers by automation and artificial intelligence.

Yang’s charm was in his image as a Washington outsider who communicated with straight talk and witty tweets. He didn’t wear a tie on the debate stage and portrayed himself as a perfect contrast to the Republican incumbent. “The opposite of Donald Trump is an Asian man who likes math,” he liked to say. His campaign offered navy blue hats emblazoned with “MATH -- Make America Think Harder.”

Yang had enough support to qualify for Democratic debates until January and continued to raise money as other candidates with more conventional political resumes -- like Senator Kamala Harris and former Representative Beto O’Rourke -- dropped out.

Despite being virtually unknown nationally before his announcement, Yang polled at almost 5% nationally. He went from raising $2.4 million in the first quarter of 2019 and $2.8 million in the second quarter, to $9.9 million in the third and $16.5 million in the fourth quarter.

Andrew Yang Drops Out of Democratic Presidential Campaign

He drew applause at the fifth Democratic debate in November, when he was asked what he would say on his first call as president with Russia‘s Vladimir Putin.

“First, I’d say I’m sorry I beat your guy,” he quipped, adding, “Or not sorry.”

(Disclaimer: Michael Bloomberg is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination. He is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News.)

To contact the reporter on this story: Emma Kinery in Des Moines at ekinery@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Wendy Benjaminson at wbenjaminson@bloomberg.net, Larry Liebert, Magan Crane

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