Jim Webb drops out of 2016 Presidential race

Webb also expressed outright frustration with the Democratic Party during his run, questioning its strategy and the support they were providing him. To say Jim Webb and Lincoln Chaffee “might as well have just stayed home”, and to dismiss the candidacy of Martin O’Malley because he didn’t “get or create the breakthrough point he needed”, is more appropriate for sports commentary than a subject as critical as who will be the next president of the United States.

Former U.S. Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) speaks as his wife Hong Le Webb listens during a news conference at the National Press Club October 20, 2015, in Washington, DC. Sen. “For this reason, I’m withdrawing from any consideration of being the Democratic Party’s nominee for the presidency”.

Webb, who said he couldn’t see himself endorsing any other candidate, said he is considering an independent run and will spend the “next couple of weeks talking to people, people I have not felt comfortable talking with as a Democratic Party candidate”. In the end, Webb plays more like an old Southern Democrat or what has been called “Blue Dog” Democrats since the parties seizure by Leftist radicals in 2008.

Webb surprised many fellow Democrats when he became the first major figure in the party to form a presidential exploratory committee in November.

Michael Dearing of Woodside, an angel investor and business development instructor, gave $5,600 to Webb’s campaign in August, and was disappointed by Tuesday’s news.

Asked if she would consider backing Webb as an independent candidate, she replied, “Absolutely”.

Webb has always been somewhat of an outsider in the Democratic Party.

He has trailed badly in the field that includes Hillary Rodham Clinton and Vermont Sen.

Webb was a Navy secretary under Reagan and an author who became a Democrat in response to the Iraq war, which he opposed. “They are increasingly out of step with the people they are supposed to serve”, Webb said, later adding that the opposition party should not be seen as the enemy, alluding to a comment Hillary Clinton made last week when she said she was proud of the Republican Party being her number one enemy.

Webb acknowledged that his views on many issues are not in line with others in the Democratic Party, as was evident in the first debate last week. He has urged Democrats to appeal to working-class Americans and white voters in the South who have left the Democratic party in recent elections. However, as many have speculated, Vice President Joe Biden may soon decide to join the race as well.