Sen. John Walsh (D-MT) has decided to drop out of the race for U.S. Senate, he announced on Thursday.
“I am ending my campaign so that I can focus on fulfilling the responsibility entrusted to me as your U.S. senator,” Walsh said. “You deserve someone who will always fight for Montana, and I will.”
Walsh’s decision follows a report in The New York Times in July which said that Walsh plagiarized significant parts of his master’s thesis.
Since then Walsh had reportedly been trying to decide whether to continue running in the race or not. Even before the plagiarism story broke Walsh had an uphill battle to victory and faced a formidable challenge in Rep. Steve Daines, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate.
According to National Journal, Walsh announced his decision to drop out in a call with staffers. His wife was “openly sobbing” while she thanked members of Walsh’s campaign, National Journal said.
Walsh had until Monday to withdraw from the race. Because of Walsh’s decision to drop out, the Montana Democratic Party now has until Aug. 20 to pick a new candidate to run for Senate.
Read Walsh’s full announcement to supporters below:
Montanans,
Nothing is more important to me than serving the people of Montana. It’s been my privilege for more than 30 years, defending both our state and nation.
The 2007 research paper from my time at the U.S. Army War College has become a distraction from the debate you expect and deserve. I am ending my campaign so that I can focus on fulfilling the responsibility entrusted to me as your U.S. Senator. You deserve someone who will always fight for Montana, and I will.
I am proud that with your support, we held our opponent accountable for his hurtful record to privatize Medicare, to deny women the freedom to make their own health decisions and to sell off our public lands. I know how important it is to continue the fight for these Montana values, and it is time for us all to return to the real issues of this election.
I am grateful for the opportunity to have met countless people in the course of this campaign who have offered support – who know what’s at stake for the future of our great nation. That is why public service is so important to me, and why I look forward to continuing to fight for Montana in the U.S. Senate.
This post was updated.
I have a mansion, forget the price
Ain’t never been there, they tell me it’s nice
I live in hotels, tear out the walls
I have accountants pay for it all
They say I’m crazy but I have a good time
I’m just looking for clues at the scene of the crime
Life’s been good to me so far
Simply and utterly pathetic. “Democrats” like this are yet another affirmation to me that I made the right choice in walking away from the “Party” in 2010. “Democrats” like this give me no reason whatsoever to feel that I could, would, or should trust them with any sort of “leadership” position for the Nation as a whole. But then, Democrats enjoy being the “We can’t do anything, we’re spineless!” Party, because they are still living out the “excuse” that they made for themselves in 2010. Which is why they are about to lose in 2014, in the hope that the Mystical Magical Clinton Fairy will come flying along in 2016, and make it all better with just one wave of her magic wand.
It isn’t just Walsh who is pathetic. Democrats ought to register on the ballot as the “Pathetic National Party.” At least that way, they’ll have some chance of garnering a sympathy vote that will exceed their regular turn out.
I need more information here. What happens next? They’ve already held the primary. Can they hold a new one? What’s Schweitzer said about all this? Is he smart enough to realize that in a soon-to-be-failed presidential bid being former Governor and current Senator Brian Schweitzer sounds better than former Governor Brian Schweitzer?
Stay tuned for more Guiding Light.
Your status as a concern troll is duly noted.
It’s “Democrats” like you who let Republicans win.
Thanks to your intellectual thievery, genius, you’ve just handed the GOP another seat in the Senate.