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Brownback's Yellow Brick Road Comes to an End

October 20, 2007 11:00 AM

ABC News' Julia Bain reports: Sen. Sam Brownback announced his withdrawal from the presidential race Friday.  Surrounded by his wife and two of his five children, Brownback told reporters that he was ending his candidacy, "with great love for my country, but [with] the recognition that my yellow brick road came just short of the White House this time."

Brownback acknowledged that he was bringing his campaign to a close due to a lack of funds. "We're out of money," he said in an afternoon press conference in Topeka, Kansas.  His campaign reported less than $100,000 in cash on hand at the end of the third quarter, the lowest quarterly fundraising total of his campaign.

The Kansas Republican said he had not yet reached a decision about endorsing any of his fellow Republican candidates. 

Brownback acknowledged that a disappointing third place finish in the Iowa Straw Poll in August was a turning point for the campaign.  Significant time and resources were invested in the event on a gamble that a surprise top tier finish would translate to a bump in the polls.  Brownback campaigned in Iowa almost weekly in the run-up to the straw poll, hoping to woo conservative Iowa caucus goers.  He found himself in direct competition with former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee for the social conservative vote.  At Friday's press conference, Brownback stood by the plan to focus on the straw poll, saying, "I think it was a good game plan, it could have worked, we were just a hair short."

When asked by reporters what part of the campaign he would approach differently, Brownback said he wouldn't "debate immigration in the middle of an election cycle."  Brownback, a co-sponsor of the original McCain-Kennedy bill, faced tough questions about his stance on the issue at campaign events.  He ultimately voted against the immigration reform bill that was brought to the Senate floor in June, saying "this is not the right bill or the right time."

Brownback stood by the core issues of his campaign, including a three state solution in Iraq, an optional flat tax, and the strengthening the family. Brownback focused his platform on strong social conservative values, describing himself as a "bleeding heart conservative," and an advocate of a "pro-life, whole-life" message.

Over the course of his candidacy, Brownback struggled to push poll numbers beyond the low single digits.  In recent weeks, he said that he would need at least a fourth place finish in the Iowa caucuses in order to continue in the race. 

The two-term senator grew up on a farm in Parker, Kansas-- population 281. During the final press conference of his candidacy, he emotionally expressed his amazement that the son of a Kansas farmer could grow up to run for president.  Brownback jumped into the race January 20th, saying he was taking "the first steps on the yellow brick road to the White House."

October 20, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (1)

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Posted by: carol | Oct 21, 2007 4:09:56 AM

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