Richardson drops out of presidential race

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson ended his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination today after poor finishes in the first two contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.

He praised all of his Democratic rivals but endorsed no one.

Instead, Mr Richardson encouraged voters to “take a long and thoughtful look” at all of them.

Mr Richardson had one of the most wide-ranging CVs of any candidate ever to run for the presidency, bringing experience from his time in Congress, President Bill Clinton’s Cabinet, in the New Mexico Statehouse as well as his unique role as a freelance diplomat.

As a Hispanic, he added to the unprecedented diversity in the Democratic field which is now between Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards.