Ben Carson
The announcement Friday that Ben Carson was ending his campaign for president came as little surprise, particularly after he announced earlier in the week that he wouldn't be partaking in the GOP debate in Detroit, his hometown. He also had acknowledged that it didn't seem possible for him to land the Republican nomination.
Interestingly, the Associated Press reports that he had raised $58 million, more money than any other GOP contender.
Carson, an enigma and retired neurosurgeon, captured the interest of the GOP and was a front runner at one time. But his star began to steadily fade, and at some point, it appeared the decline was irreversible.
"Even though I might be leaving the campaign trail, you know there's a lot of people who love me. They just won't vote for me," Carson told the Conservative Political Action Conference gathering in National Harbor, Md., CNN reports. "But it's OK. It's not a problem. I will still continue to be heavily involved in trying to save our nation."
Carson said he'll still be involved in the political process. He'll be the national chairman of , My Faith Votes, a tax-exempt nonprofit educational Christian voting group.
Retired Congressman John Dingell of Dearborn, a Democrat, tweets sharply Saturday:
Sad to see Ben Carson drop out. First person I've ever seen campaign for President while fast asleep. Got to admire that.
— John Dingell (@JohnDingell) March 5, 2016
