The 2020 U.S. Presidential Race: A Cheat Sheet

Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii has finally come to a realization that Democratic voters had long since made on their own: She is not going to be the next president of the United States.

The idiosyncratic congresswoman officially ended her campaign this morning, having earned a pair of delegates from American Samoa but never capturing real momentum in the Democratic race. The bigger news from her announcement was that she would endorse former Vice President Joe Biden, the delegate leader in the primary and likely nominee. That nod removes a fear among Democrats that Gabbard might mount a third-party run and syphon off crucial votes from Biden in a close election.

“Although I may not agree with the vice president on every issue, I know that he has a good heart and is motivated by his love for our country and the American people,” Gabbard said. “I'm confident that he will lead our country guided by the spirit of aloha—respect and compassion—and thus help heal the divisiveness that has been tearing our country apart.”

It’s unclear what effect, if any, the coronavirus pandemic had on Gabbard’s decision. The 38-year-old Iraq War veteran began her announcement by citing the “unprecedented global crisis” the country faces and said she stands ready to serve again in uniform for the Hawaii National Guard if needed. (Gabbard had already decided not to seek another term in Congress.)

Gabbard had run on an anti-interventionist platform, although she became known earlier in her career for supporting the Syrian strong man Bashar al-Assad. In December, she broke with Democrats and voted “present” on the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. Her biggest campaign presence was in New Hampshire, where she had blanketed the state’s highways with enormous billboards touting her candidacy. But she earned just 3 percent of the vote there. She drew more attention from suing Hillary Clinton for defamation—after the 2016 Democratic nominee called her “a Russian asset”—than anything she did on the campaign trail.

Gabbard is not the only long-shot hopeful ending their run during the coronavirus pandemic. Former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld dropped his primary challenge to Trump last night after the president formally passed the delegate threshold needed for the GOP nomination.

The moves mean that there is really just one domino left to fall, and that could happen soon: Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Biden’s last serious challenger, is currently “assessing” his path ahead after another round of losses Tuesday night.

As the primaries progress, this cheat sheet will be updated regularly.

The Democrats

MICHAEL BLOOMBERG

Who is he?
The billionaire former mayor of New York, Bloomberg is a Democrat turned Republican turned independent turned Democrat again.

Is he running?
No longer. He ended his bid the day after a disappointing finish on Super Tuesday, having collected only a few dozen delegates.

Why did he want to run?
For starters, he was convinced that he’d be better and more competent at the job than anyone else. Bloomberg’s bid centered on his pet issues of gun control, climate change, and fighting the more fiscally liberal wing of the Democratic Party tooth and silver-plated nail.

Who wanted him to run?
What, was his considerable ego not enough? Though his tenure as mayor is generally well regarded, it’s unclear what Bloomberg’s Democratic constituency was beyond other wealthy, socially liberal, and fiscally conservative types, and it’s not as if he needed their money to run.

Can he win the nomination?
Apparently not.

TOM STEYER

Who is he?
A retired California hedge-funder, Steyer has poured his fortune into political advocacy on climate change and flirted with running for office.

Is he running?
Not anymore. He dropped out after finishing third and earning no delegates in South Carolina on February 29.

Why did he want to run?
Impeachment, baby.

Who wanted him to run?
Steyer managed to gain ground among African American voters in South Carolina. It was pretty threadbare beyond that.

Can he Nope.