Former Sen. Jim Webb officially withdrew from the Democratic presidential primary on Tuesday but said that he is seriously considering a 2016 run as an independent candidate.
Webb started by noting that many “Americans are disgusted by all this talk or Republicans and Democrats calling each other the enemy instead of reaching across the aisle and finding ways to work together.”
“The very nature of our democracy is under siege,” Webb told reporters gathered at the National Press Club. “Americans don’t like the extremes to which both parties have moved in recent years, and I don’t blame them,” and “for this reason I am withdrawing from any consideration of being the Democratic Party’s nominee for President.”
Additionally, Webb stated that, “it’s time for a new Declaration of Independence… from the paralysis of a federal system that no longer serves the interests of the vast majority of the American people” and that he plans on spending the near future meeting with people from “all sides of America’s political landscape.”
“How I remain as a voice will depend on what kind of support I am shown in the coming days and weeks.”
In closing, Webb claimed that he felt strongly that as an Independent, he could still beat both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in the general election.
“I honestly — if we ran an independent race that worked and got traction, I think we could beat both of them.”