Ben Carson Will Skip Next Debate, Sees No ‘Path Forward’ For Campaign

Ben Carson arrives to speak during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Retired neurosurgeon and flagging presidential candidate Ben Carson announced that he will not attend the next GOP debate Thursday night and that he does not see a “political path forward” for his campaign.

The news was first reported by the Washington Post.

“I have decided not to attend the Fox News GOP Presidential Debate tomorrow night in Detroit. Even though I will not be in my hometown of Detroit on Thursday, I remain deeply committed to my home nation, America,” Carson said in a statement. “I do not see a political path forward in light of last evening’s Super Tuesday primary results.”

The statement echoed what longtime Carson confidant Armstrong Williams said about the campaign’s poor prospects earlier Wednesday.

Carson said he appreciated all support “financial and otherwise.”

Carson was a Tea Party darling who came to prominence for criticizing the Affordable Care Act during a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast while Obama looked on. He announced his candidacy in May.

“I began to ask myself, why are people clamoring for me to do this?” Carson said at the time. “I represent a lot of the same thoughts that they have.”

Carson said he will elaborate on his statement in a speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference scheduled for Friday.

Read his full statement here.

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: