US presidential candidate Bill Richardson has left the US 2008 competition for presidency after he got fourth-place for two times.

Richardson planned to announce the decision Thursday, according to two people close to the New Mexico Gov. with knowledge of the decision. They spoke Wednesday on a condition of anonymity.

Richardson had one of the most wide-ranging resumes of any candidate ever to run for the presidency, bringing experience from his time in Congress, President Clinton's Cabinet, in the New Mexico statehouse as well as his unique role as a freelance diplomat.

As a Hispanic, he added to the unprecedented diversity in the Democratic field that also included a black and a woman.

But Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama dominated the spotlight in the campaign, and Richardson was never able to become a top-tier contender. He accused his rivals of failing to commit to bring troops home from Iraq soon enough.

But he was not able to build the momentum and came in a distant fourth place in Iowa and New Hampshire. Richardson did not get quite 5 percent in the New Hampshire primary Tuesday and came in with just 2 percent in the Iowa caucus last week.

AGB/RA