Reports: Ben Carson ends 2016 White House bid

WASHINGTON (WPRI) – Dr. Ben Carson dropped out of the Republican nomination for president on Friday, saying he will be “leaving the campaign trail.”

Carson made the announcement that he is ending his campaign to a conservative group in Maryland.

The announcement was expected considering Carson did not take part in last night’s GOP debate in Detroit.

His departure leaves John Kasich, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Donald Trump in the race for the Republicans – and Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders on the Democratic side.