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This story was originally published on February 10, 2016.
After losing his home state of Florida to part-time resident Donald Trump, Sen. Marco Rubio announced that he was suspending his campaign. Rubio spoke to supporters, saying "it is clear that while we are on the right side, this year, we will not be on the winning side."
Republican presidential hopeful and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson announced on March 2 that his campaign had no "political path forward" in the 2016 race. At the Conservative Political Action Conference on March 4, Carson said he was leaving the campaign trail, saying "there's a lot of people who love me, they just won't vote for me."
The one-time frontrunner did not win a single state during the March 1 primaries and caucuses.
Moment of infamy:Carson was renowned (and sometimes mocked) for his mild manner on the campaign trail. In various Republican primary debates, Carson joked about needing to be woken up and asked his fellow candidates to attack him instead when they went after each other. And, of course, there was this awkward debate introduction, when Carson didn't come onto the stage.
Republican presidential hopeful and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush has ended his presidential campaign, The New York Times reports. Bush came in at fourth place in the South Carolina Republican primary, earning 7.8% of the vote. Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, and Marco Rubio claimed the top three spots among the GOP hopefuls.
Bush announced his campaign's suspension during a speech in South Carolina, saying that "the people of Iowa and New Hampshire and South Carolina have spoken, and I really respect their decision."
Moment of infamy: Bush became the subject of many memes when he admitted during a Republican primary debate that he'd smoked marijuana in his younger days. As Bush's campaign lost steam, the former governor also apparently asked an audience to "please clap" during one of his speeches, according to The New York Times.
Republican presidential hopeful Jim Gilmore has suspended his presidential campaign, according to The Washington Post.
Gilmore, a long-shot candidate who was frequently shut out of the GOP debates — even the early debates — by low polling numbers, was an underdog candidate for pretty much the entirety of his campaign. In the recent Iowa caucuses, the former governor of Virginia got the support of a scant 12 caucus-goers, according to USA Today.
Carly Fiorina announced that she would end her bid for the Republican presidential nomination after placing seventh in the New Hampshire Republican primary. "While I suspend my candidacy today, I will continue to travel this country and fight for those Americans who refuse to settle for the way things are and a status quo that no longer works for them," Fiorina said in a statement.
Moment of infamy: While her poll numbers didn't skyrocket, Fiorina made headlines when she stood up to Donald Trump in early GOP debates. And after Trump told Rolling Stone, "Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that?" in reference to Fiorina, she turned the quote into a positive and inspiring message in a September speech.
During the New Hampshire Republican primary, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie earned just 7% of the vote and finished in a dismal sixth place. One day later, sources told CNN that Christie would be suspending his presidential bid. Christie confirmed in a Facebook post that he was exiting the 2016 race. "I ran for president with the message that the government needs to once again work for the people, not the people work for the government," Christie wrote. "That message was heard by and stood for by a lot of people, but just not enough, and that's ok."
Moment of infamy: Christie wasn't the most-discussed candidate during the 2016 presidential race, but he earned applause at a GOP primary debate in February, when he called out Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for using prepared talking points multiple times during the debate.
On Wednesday, February 3, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum announced that he was ending his 2016 presidential campaign. Not long after, Santorum also announced his endorsement of Republican Senator Rubio's 2016 presidential bid.
Moment of infamy: Santorum never made it onto the main debate stage in the GOP primary faceoffs this time around, unlike 2012, when he won the Iowa caucuses. In a May interview with Fox News' Greta Von Susteren, Santorum said he was "very comfortable" being the 2016 underdog — a statement that proved ominous and prescient.
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul announced on February 3 that he was suspending his 2016 bid for the presidency. The libertarian-leaning senator had struggled to gain support. He garnered 4.5% of votes in the 2016 Iowa Republican caucus. Paul still plans to run for re-election to a second term in the Senate this November, according to USA Today.
Moment of infamy: During an early GOP primary debate, Paul sparred with his fellow Republican contenders over the issue of legal marijuana. Paul slammed former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in particular, arguing that Bush's privilege allowed him to escape legal ramifications for smoking pot, while many Americans aren't afforded the same treatment. He also shouted "Get a Warrant!" at Chris Christie during a heated exchange over government surveillance.
Moment of infamy: Huckabee's 2016 campaign was littered with low points, including the candidate sending racist tweets during a Democratic primary debate. But Huckabee's most memorable low point is probably his nonsensical campaign ad parodying Adele's "Hello."
Moment of infamy: O'Malley frequently emphasized the fact that Republicans should be more sensitive when discussing "boots on the ground" and military involvement overseas. O'Malley mentioned the phrase at two separate debates, emphasizing that human beings are more than a pair of boots, and that politicians should discuss the lives at stake accordingly.
Moment of infamy: Graham may have been the most outspoken candidate about the Republican contenders being divided into main and secondary debates. "One of the biggest problems we've had was to get our voice on equal footing with others," Graham said during his campaign announcement, according to Politico. "This second-tier debate process has been difficult for us. I think we've done well in the debates, it's just hard to break through, because the buzz doesn't last very long."
Moment of infamy: Despite holding just 1% of supporters in a September CNN poll, Jindal wasn't afraid to criticize GOP frontrunner Donald Trump. In a speech at the National Press Club, Jindal said that "the reality of Donald Trump is absurd," suggesting Trump didn't understand U.S. policy, CNN reports. "Just because people like watching Kim Kardashian, we wouldn't put her in the White House, either," Jindal said at the National Press Club.
Moment of infamy: Walker's presidential campaign was notoriously short, and his biggest moment in the election season was leaving the race so early. During his announcement, Walker encouraged other Republican candidates to drop out of the race, as well, "so that the voters can focus on a limited number of candidates who can offer a positive, conservative alternative to the current front-runner," Walker said. No one followed his lead.
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