South Dakota Democrat exits Senate race, clears way for independent

This post was originally published on Politico.

South Dakota Democratic Senate nominee Julian Beaudion dropped out of the race Tuesday, a move that comes following heightened pressure from within the party to clear the way for a stronger independent candidate, according to paperwork filed with the South Dakota Secretary of State’s office.

Beaudion’s decision comes on the same day as the deadline to withdraw, and just days after he told POLITICO he was not going to leave the race. Now, independent Brian Bengs will face a one-on-one battle with Republican Sen. Mike Rounds in November.

In a statement, Beaudion likened his decision to the failed Apollo 13