Candidate pulls out of Missouri US Senate race

(AP) – John Wood, a Republican running as an independent in the U.S. Senate race in Missouri, says he is ending his campaign. Wood announced Tuesday that he would not challenge Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt or Democratic nominee Trudy Busch Valentine in November.

Wood said on Twitter that he entered the race to try and prevent disgraced former Gov. Eric Greitens from becoming Missouri’s next U.S. Senator. Schmitt soundly defeated Greitens in the GOP primary in August.

Wood said with Eric Greitens out of the race, it is evident that he did not have a realistic path to victory as an independent candidate in the race to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt.