Senator Edmund Muskie, once regarded as the leading contender for the Democratic Presidential nomination, on Thursday (27 April) announced he is withdrawing from active participation in the remaining Presidential primaries.

The senator made his announcement in Washington following defeats in the Pennsylvania and Massachusetts primaries on Tuesday (25 April). These followed similar setbacks earlier this year.

Senator Muskie said he did not have the money to continue campaigning in the remaining primaries. But he said he is not withdrawing his candidacy and he welcomes efforts on his behalf in several small primary elections.

Senator Muskie's announcement left Senator McGovern of South Dakota as the front runner in the Democratic contest to find a candidate to oppose President Nixon in the November elections.

SYNOPSIS: Senator Edmund Muskie, with his campaign manager in Philadelphia on Tuesday, listening to the returns of the Pennsylvania primary election.

The returns were not good for the Maine senator, but he managed a smile at his election headquarters that evening. Later, however, he drafted a statement, announced on Thursday, that he was withdrawing from active participation on the remaining presidential primaries, because of a lack of funds. He said he was not completely pulling out of the race, but the announcement was a sad turn of events for the Senator that had once been regarded as the leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination to oppose President Nixon in the November elections.