After a year of going everywhere, meeting everyone,

defying every expectation, seeking every vote.

The truth is that the path has narrowed to a close,

for our candidacy, if not for our cause.

And another of those values is responsibility.

And we have a responsibility to consider the effect of remaining

in this race any further.

Our goal has always been to help unify Americans, to defeat Donald Trump

and to win the era for our values.

[cheering and applause]

And so we must recognise that at this point in the race,

the best way to keep faith with those goals and ideals is to step aside

and help bring our party and our country together.

So tonight I am making the difficult decision to suspend my campaign

for the presidency.

I will no longer seek to be the 2020 Democratic nominee for president,

but I will do everything in my power to ensure that we have a new

Democratic president come January.

That is the hope in our hearts.

That is the fire in our bellies.

That is the future we believe in.

A country that really does empower every American to thrive in a future

where everyone belongs.

Thank you for sharing that vision.

Thank you for helping us spread that hope. Thank you so much.