The top editor at Axios issued an apology to readers after the outlet inaccurately reported Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out of the presidential race, suggesting that the coronavirus may have been a factor.
The news website reported on Wednesday the independent senator from Vermont was ending his campaign after losing three major primary states to former Vice President Joe Biden.
Members of his campaign quickly pushed back on the report on social media. Axios later retracted the story and apologized for the error.
“Our incorrect report on the Sanders campaign was a big error and we apologize,” Nicholas Johnston, the editor-in-chief of Axios, said in a statement. “We know the trust of our readers is our most important asset. This is not an excuse but the reality: our process for full approval in a fully remote newsroom broke down. That has been fixed and we are prominently correcting, and taking responsibility, for the error.”
Johnston did not mention the coronavirus, but his statement comes at a time when many newsroom have taken precautions, including allowing staff to telework from home, as the United States and the rest of the world contend with the pandemic.
The Sanders campaign, following Tuesday’s crushing losses in primaries in Illinois, Florida, and Arizona, said it is now evaluating whether the candidate should remain in the presidential race.
“The next primary contest is at least three weeks away,” Sanders campaign spokesman Faiz Shakur said in a statement. “Sen. Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to asses his campaign. In the immediate term, however, he is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working people and the most vulnerable.”
