Richardson drops out of presidential race

After disappointing finishes in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is dropping out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, according to the Associated Press.

According to the report, Richardson will announce his withdrawal from the race on Thursday.

Richardson had served in the administration of former President Bill Clinton as Energy Secretary.  He also had served as a freelance diplomat, and helped to diffuse crises from the Sudan to North Korea.

Despite a glowing resume, Richardson’s campaign never caught fire, and he lagged well behind Sen. Hillary Clinton, former Sen. John Edwards, and Sen. Barack Obama in the race for the nomination.  Richardson finished fourth in both Iowa and New Hampshire, and he was not expected to do better in upcoming states.