SEATTLE _ Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, who made climate change the centerpiece of his 2020 presidential run, announced Wednesday night on MSNBC that he's dropping out of the race.
Inslee hit 130,000 donors this week, passing the donor threshold for the third Democratic debate, but he has been falling short of the required 2% in polls.
"It has become clear I will not be carrying the ball, I'm not going to be the president, so I am withdrawing tonight from the race," Inslee said in an interview with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow. "But I have to tell you, I've been fighting climate change for 25 years, and I've never been so confident of the ability of America to reach critical mass to move the ball."
Inslee said he would provide a statement Thursday including whether he would seek a third term as governor.
Other officials, including Attorney General Bob Ferguson, Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz and King County Executive Dow Constantine, have said they were eyeing the governor's office should Inslee step aside.
