Jim Webb exits 2016 presidential race, cites differences with Democratic Party

Former Sen. Jim Webb was expected to announce today that he is dropping out of the presidential race after his bid for the Democratic nomination failed to gain traction.

Webb scheduled a news conference later on Tuesday in Washington.

Jim Webb has officially dropped out of the Democrat presidential race while mulling an independent bid.

Yet, Webb’s quest has been worth watching for his efforts to bridge a gap that has befuddled liberals for decades: Why do so many lower-income people vote against their own economic self-interest?

Describing a private conversation that he reportedly had with Webb over the weekend in comments to CNN, the former U.S. Senator’s friend and informal adviser Mudcat Saunders said, “We were just b–ing about the way our party has moved”. Several independent presidential candidates have managed to get on the ballot in all 50 states in previous election cycles, even when starting later than Webb.

Dr. David Charney, a longtime Webb friend and one of his surrogates at the first Democratic debate, said he was “surprised” when he first heard the senator was considering an independent run. More people call themselves independents than either Republicans or Democrats … “Our political candidates are being pulled to the extremes”. All three put him at odds with Clinton since all three have the former secretary of state’s fingerprints, wrote Molly O’Toole.

“I fully accept that my views on many issues are not compatible with the power structure and the nominating base of the Democratic Party”, he said.

He attended 29 events in Iowa since August 2014, compared to Martin O’Malley’s 89, Bernie Sanders’ 70 and Hillary Clinton’s 47. He defeated Republican incumbent George Allen for a Virginia Senate seat in 2006 and did not run for reelection. His remarks afterward reflected his position in the Democratic primary: “In that kind of environment it was either going to be Mr. Angry or be a potted plant”, Webb said.

Throughout his brief campaign, Webb has argued that big money in political has corrupted both political parties, “poisoning our political process”, he said during the debate.

Webb was not an active presence on the campaign trail, and his participation in the first Democratic debate last week was notable for his repeated complaints about his lack of air time more than for any policy statements.