The first serious woman contender for the US presidency has dropped out of the race, citing fund-raising problems.
Mrs Elizabeth Dole announced her withdrawal from the contest for the Republican nomination yesterday, saying that the odds against her in raising money had become "overwhelming".
Some observers believe that she could yet be chosen as Governor George Bush's running mate if, as expected, he wins the Republican nomination next year. At her press conference yesterday, she remained non-committal about this possibility.
There had been rumours that the Dole campaign was in serious trouble as Mr Bush amassed a huge war chest of $56 million compared to her $5 million during the first nine months of this year. Mrs Dole could raise only $1 million in the third quarter compared with Mr Bush's $20 million.
She was also doing badly in the polls and although in second place she was at 11 per cent compared with Mr Bush's 60 per cent. But she had denied reports that she was about to quit and was insisting she would officially launch her campaign on November 7th, the date of next year's election and which, she said, would mark her victory.
Last August, Mrs Dole's sluggish campaign received a lift when she finished third in the Iowa straw poll behind Mr Bush and the multi-millionaire publisher Mr Steve Forbes, but ahead of a half-dozen other contenders. But since then she has failed to attract voter support or enough campaign funds to have any hope in the primary elections early next year.
Mr Bush lauded Mrs Dole as a contender who brought "class" to the White House race. "She's a friend, she's a really good person . . . She's an inspiration for a lot of women," he said at a press conference."
Reuters adds: The US Senate on Tuesday blocked proposals to overhaul political fund-raising laws and ban soft-money donations, ensuring the continued flow of unregulated cash into the 2000 election campaign.
For the third time in two years, supporters gained a Senate majority of at least 52 votes but were unable to get the 60 votes needed to break a Republican-led filibuster and force a direct vote on the measures.