It’s always better to leave the party too early than too late. By exiting before Super Tuesday, Mayor Pete creates a legacy of excitement and incomplete success, not failure. He would also make a very plausible running mate for Biden, although I think Harris would make a better choice, for reasons I will describe in the future.
Assuming, for purposes of argument, that he isn’t on the ticket, he could be a serious contender for the nomination for the next two decades if he plays his cards right. That means generating some additional experience in office and convincing minorities that he views them as people to be helped, not problems to be solved. RFK after his brother’s death comes to mind as a precedent. How should he do that? I will leave that up to him.