TORONTO -- In the traditionally Republican state of Oklahoma, the campaign offices for U.S. Democratic presidential candidates Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar have been left scrambling as their candidates suddenly dropped out just days before Super Tuesday.
Oklahoma is among the 14 U.S. states to hold their primaries March 3 on Super Tuesday, a crucial day in U.S. politics where 34 per cent of the total pledged delegates will be chosen at once.
Buttigieg formally announced the end to his campaign on Sunday evening, while Klobuchar made the announcement on Monday. Both have since endorsed former vice-president Joe Biden.
While the primaries continue until June, Super Tuesday can go a long way toward determining the Democratic presidential nominee, which is why those supporters of Buttigieg and Klobuchar are especially shocked.
“(I was) devastated for a good hour,” a Buttigieg supporter told CTV News from outside his campaign office on Monday.
Buttigieg’s field office in Oklahoma City opened just a week ago. The South Bend, Ind. mayor had a scheduled rally in the city for Monday, but it has since been cancelled.
Buttigieg supporters now don’t know who they’ll vote for on Tuesday.
“I haven’t thought that far yet, because it’s still raw,” one of the voters said.
Meanwhile, field staffers for Klobuchar would not go on camera with CTV News, but said they are disillusioned by the news.
