India, Aug. 5 -- South Dakota's Democratic nominee for US Senate, Julian Beaudion, has dropped out of his race against Republican Senator Mike Rounds, clearing the way for independent candidate Brian Bengs to mount a one-on-one challenge in November, according to NBC News.

The exit marks a reversal for Beaudion, who had repeatedly rejected calls to step aside in the weeks beforehand, at one point telling reporter Ben Binday he would not withdraw before an earlier party deadline, calling such pressure "political extortion." "I am a firm believer in democracy," Beaudion said at the time, adding that he still believed he had a path to victory.

Why Were Democrats Pushing Beaudion To Step Aside?

Party strategists had grown increasingly conv...