Richardson Ends Historic Bid for President
Posted January 10th, 2008by Lisa Pierce
This afternoon, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, the first Hispanic to seek the Democratic nomination for president, announced that he was ending his campaign. Gov. Richardson came in fourth in the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary among a crowded field dominated by Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, and former North Carolina Senator John Edwards.
Richardson, whose mother is Mexican, was also a member of Congress, serving as Representative of New Mexico’s 3rd District. In addition, he is a two-term governor, a former Cabinet member, and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Many political experts considered Richardson the most broadly qualified candidate in the field and he has been widely praised for his diplomatic skills. While running for President, Gov. Richardson negotiated a temporary cease-fire in Darfur. And during the exploratory phase of his candidacy, he negotiated the release of a Chicago Tribune reporter who had been charged with espionage by the Sudanese government.
Gov. Richardson’s run for President was a milestone in American pilitics and Latino history. Given his wide-ranging experience and diplomatic talents, he is likely to play an important role in the coming election, despite today’s announcement.
