Amy Klobuchar Leaves Presidential Race, Endorses Joe Biden

Klobuchar's exit comes a day after Pete Buttigieg's and represents a consolidation of moderates in the Democratic race.

Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.

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Trudy Ring

March 02 2020 2:03 PM EST

May 31 2023 6:19 PM EST

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Amy Klobuchar is ending her presidential campaign and endorsing Joe Biden.

Klobuchar's exit from the race was reported by national media about midday Monday. The U.S. senator from Minnesota had failed to gain traction in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. Her highest finish in the early contests was third in the New Hampshire primary after a strong debate performance there.

She plans to fly to Dallas, where she will offer her endorsement to the former vice president, a campaign spokesman told CBS News.

Klobuchar's suspension of her campaign comes a day after Pete Buttigieg dropped out. Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Ind., and the only gay candidate in the race, said he didn't see a path to the nomination. He has not endorsed another candidate yet.

This represents a consolidation of moderate candidates in the race. Biden, whose campaign was revitalized by a big win in Saturday's South Carolina primary, is more centrist than Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the self-proclaimed democratic socialist who has emerged as the front-runner so far. Klobuchar, Buttigieg, and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has yet to be on the ballot in a primary, also positioned themselves as moderates.

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Klobuchar had a generally good record on LGBTQ issues, although she was criticized for voting to confirm some of Donald Trump's anti-LGBTQ judicial nominees. During her presidential campaign, she famously sparred with Buttigieg, saying a woman whose political experience was similar to Buttigieg's -- he has only held office as mayor of a mid-sized city -- wouldn't be taken seriously as a presidential candidate. She did say she thought Buttigieg was qualified to be president.

Her announcement comes a day before the biggest day of the primary season, Super Tuesday, when 14 states, one territory, and Democrats living abroad will cast votes.