After unsuccessfully trying to inch up in the polls and compete against frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, Jim Webb has announced that he will no longer seek the Democratic Party's nomination for the presidency. As CNN reports, in a live press conference, Webb stated, "I fully accept that my views on many issues are not compatible with the power structure and the nominating base of the Democratic Party. That party is filled with millions of dedicated, hard-working Americans, but its hierarchy is not comfortable with many of the policies that I have laid forth, and frankly, I'm not that comfortable with many of theirs. For this reason, I'm withdrawing from any consideration of being the Democratic Party's nominee for the presidency."
While Webb made it clear that he would not seek the Democratic nomination, he left the door open for a potential independent bid. "The very nature of our democracy is under siege due to the power structure and the money that finances both political parities," Webb said, "[it is] time for a new Declaration of Independence -- not from an outside power but from the paralysis of a federal system that no longer serves the interests of the vast majority of the American people."
According to NPR, Webb has not made clear if he would run as a Republican, Independent, or as another third-party candidate.
Webb has always been somewhat of an outsider in the Democratic Party. After a career in the military, Webb served as Secretary of the Navy under President Reagan. His policies are often criticized for being out of touch with the Democratic base, and more in line with the Republican platform. Webb's departure leaves only four major candidates for the Democratic nomination: Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Lincoln Chafee, and Martin O'Malley. However, as many have speculated, Vice President Joe Biden may soon decide to join the race as well.
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