Joe Walsh Ends Presidential Campaign

Former Rep. Joe Walsh of Illinois ended his primary challenge to President Trump on Friday.  He made the announcement during an interview on CNN.  Walsh entered the race last summer, facing nearly impossible odds against an incumbent with a Republican approval rating consistently near 90%.

The recently completed Iowa caucuses illustrate what Walsh was up against. He received only about 1% of the vote, with Trump at over 97%.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, who fared only slightly better than Walsh in Iowa, remains in the race.  Regional proximity and the more private nature of a primary vote (vs. caucus) may result in a modest uptick in Weld's performance in New Hampshire next Tuesday. On the other hand, there are some 17 Republicans on the primary ballot and a minimum 10% threshold of the statewide vote is required to win any delegates.