MINNEAPOLIS _ Sen. Amy Klobuchar ended her presidential campaign Monday, and planned to endorse former Vice President Joe Biden in the Democratic race.
A campaign spokeswoman said Klobuchar was flying to Dallas to join Biden at a rally on Monday evening. Her decision further consolidates the Democratic field ahead of Tuesday's 14-state primary; Klobuchar dropped out less than 24 hours after former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., who it was later reported will also endorse Biden at the Dallas rally.
Trailing in the delegate race for the Democratic presidential nomination, the three-term senator from Minnesota pulled herself out of contention after a series of disappointing showings in the early caucuses and primaries.
Though buoyed by strong debate performances and a surprising third-place finish in New Hampshire on Feb. 11, Klobuchar failed to break into the top ranks of a crowded Democratic field, even as she outlasted several other better-known rivals. But sixth-place finishes in both the Nevada caucus and the South Carolina primary were taken as a sign that she was failing to win over Latino and black voters so important to the national Democratic coalition.
Since winning South Carolina on Saturday, Biden has emerged as the best hope for centrist Democrats trying to prevent the nomination of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who amassed an early-state lead.
Klobuchar's central message of pragmatism and unity won her respect with pundits and newspaper editorial boards across the nation, including The New York Times, but her campaign failed to inspire a consensus among Democrats outside Minnesota, the only state where she was considered a top contender.
Klobuchar's name will still appear on the Minnesota primary ballot Tuesday, and early voting that began in January ensures means she will have already racked up votes. It could also boost Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' bid to win Minnesota _ he is rallying in St. Paul on Monday night _ but Klobuchar's Biden endorsement is also likely to send some of her support his way.
Democrats looking for the ideological antithesis of President Donald Trump have flocked to Sanders, a democratic socialist. Those looking for what they see as a more electable moderate have gravitated in greater numbers to better funded rivals like Biden.
Widely regarded as potentially strong general election contender against Trump, Klobuchar's centrist positions against "Medicare for All" and a Green New Deal put her out of step with the activist base that is more influential in party primaries and caucuses.
Klobuchar focused heavily on neighboring Iowa, but finished a disappointing fifth in the state's first-in-the-nation caucuses. Her strong showing in New Hampshire helped spark a $12 million fundraising spike, but her resources were stretched thin as the race spread to coast to coast on Super Tuesday, with voters in 14 states, including Minnesota, voting March 3.
