Ciresi drops out of US Senate race

Mike Ciresi announced Monday afternoon that he’s exiting the US Senate race. “In my judgment,” writes Ciresi in a statement posted at his campaign website, “continuing the endorsement race would only lead to an unnecessary floor fight. It is time to step aside.”

The news follows the announcement in late February that Ciresi had lent his campaign $2 million. Ciresi’s campaign made sense when he entered the race, in view of the Al Franken campaign’s early troubles in polling and popular support. But Franken’s rebound in personal polling numbers and in head-to-head comparisons with incumbent Norm Coleman helped to let the air out of Ciresi’s claim that he would be more electable.

Ciresi auspiciously offers no endorsement and no olive branch to Franken. “We encourage all to remain committed to changing the direction of our nation and to support candidates of their choice,” he concludes.