Not this time
Andrew Yang has withdrawn from the race which saw him vying for Democratic presidential candidacy in the run-up to the US general election.
Yang’s decision was made public before the finishing of the primaries in New Hampshire on Tuesday. He is the only candidate to date in the current election cycle who was vocal about his support for legalizing online poker, which saw him gain favor with the poker community.
only candidate to date in the current election cycle who was vocal about his support for legalizing online poker
However, Yang always struggled to gain much momentum inside the Democratic Party to be in with a chance of nomination. The bulk of his fan base came from online sources.
Calling it quits
Naturally, the subject of online poker was not going to make or break Yang’s presidential candidacy. The 45-year-old had a number of interesting policy ideas which led to him developing a loyal group of followers. However, other leading candidates such as Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, and Bernie Sanders received more support from the bulk of the Democratic base.
it is clear tonight from the numbers that we are not going to win this race”
One of the main policies Yang was pushing for was a universal basic income. But while Yang was looking to push on and grow in popularity through the primaries, his polling numbers never bypassed 5% on a national level.
Yang said of his withdrawal: “We have touched and improved millions of lives and moved this country we love so much in the right direction. And while there is great work left to be done, you know, I am the math guy, and it is clear tonight from the numbers that we are not going to win this race.”
Reaction of the poker community
After the news broke of Yang’s withdrawal from the political scene, a number of supporters from the poker world shared their thoughts online.
Daniel Negreanu, whom Yang considers one of the biggest online poker advocates, tweeted that he was “very proud” of his campaign. He believes “this is only the beginning in terms of [Yang’s] impact on the country.”
Yang is set to make an appearance at a charity poker fundraiser on Thursday in Las Vegas. The activity was originally set up to raise campaign donations. According to Negreanu, the event will still be going ahead.