Source: Politics<\/p>\n
South Dakota Democratic Senate nominee Julian Beaudion dropped out of the race Tuesday, a move that comes following heightened pressure from within the party to clear the way for a stronger independent candidate, according to paperwork filed with the South Dakota Secretary of State\u2019s office<\/a>.<\/p>\n Beaudion\u2019s decision comes on the same day as the deadline to withdraw, and just days after he told POLITICO<\/a> he was not going to leave the race. Now, independent Brian Bengs will face a one-on-one battle with Republican Sen. Mike Rounds in November.<\/p>\n In a statement, Beaudion likened his decision to the failed Apollo 13 mission to the moon.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is with a tremendous amount of gratitude to everyone who has supported our campaign mission and a great amount of sorrow, that I say, \u2018Houston, we have a problem,\u2019\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n Beaudion is the third Democrat in a deep-red Senate race who has left in order to give independents \u2014 who have polled better and raised more money \u2014 a better shot at defeating Republicans. Already, Democrats in Idaho<\/a> and Nebraska<\/a> have dropped out and endorsed independents.<\/p>\n But Montana Democrat Alani Bankhead has steadfastly insisted she will not suspend her campaign for the better-funded independent Seth Bodnar in what otherwise could be the best shot for an independent candidate to knock off a red-state Republican this fall.<\/p>\n Bengs, a former Democrat who was crushed by Majority Leader John Thune when he ran for Senate in 2022, has touted internal polling<\/a> showing a competitive race with Rounds \u2014 but only if Beaudion exited.<\/p>\n