North Carolina Politics...Edwards pulls out of Race

[surfermaw]

Edwards pulls out of run for Senate
Frees N.C. Democrats as he commits to all-out race for White House
JIM MORRILL
Staff Writer




Sen. John Edwards


Saying he wants to "devote all of my energy" to the presidential race, U.S. Sen. John Edwards announced Sunday he would not seek re-election to the Senate.

The announcement opens the door for other N.C. Democrats to run for the seat in 2004 and ends weeks of heightened speculation about Edwards' plans. Despite predictions by former Gov. Jim Hunt and others that he would step aside, Edwards had refused to comment about the seat he has held since 1999.

Edwards broke his silence in a Sunday letter to state Democratic Chairman Barbara Allen.

"My family and I used some of our time together on the campaign trail and the Labor Day weekend to discuss the next step in this journey," he wrote. "... The problems that drove me to explore a possible campaign are even more pressing today than they were in January. Given all of this, the decision to move forward ... to seek the nomination was not a difficult one

More

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/6718799.htm

[GainesT1958]

1. Part of me is relieved he went ahead and did this...

Another part is sad that he won't be running for another term...his voice IS needed, wherever he ends up.

I AM looking foward to supporting Erskine Bowles again...this time, hopefully, in a WINNING effort! :bounce:


B-)

[CMT]

3. Bowles got 43%

against a popular figure in Elizabeth Dole in a GOP year. I think he can win this race.

[renie408]

5. I also think Bowles

has a very good chance of winning. I also think that it can only help Edwards to have bowed out of the Senate race.

[Benhurst]

6. Yeah, I voted for him on a black box computer voting machine

in Western North Carolina. I wonder what percentage will be assigned to him to him in 2004 -- it's probably been decided already.

:tinfoilhat:

If we don't get rid of Diebold et al in the precincts which already use them and prevent spread of their use across the country, voting is not going to matter in 2004.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

14. Actually it was 54% Dole and 45% Bowles!

.

[LionInWinter]

2. Hey, if the presidential thing doesn't work out

he can always be attorney general in the new democratic administration!

[renie408]

4. Oooohhhh

that would be cool. Man, can you see the looks on the corporate assholes faces if that turned out??

[molly]

7. He's my second choice - after Kerry

I would love to see him as VP if he doesn't win the nomination. That would be an unbeatable team. :toast:

[surfermaw]

8. Bowles or Hunt can win the seat

Dole campagined on holding on to Bush's coattail... I don't think Bush will help a Senate candidate in the 2004 election.

[Ishkaboogl]

9. are you kidding?

of course bush will have coattails in NC.

fact - a popular person on the top of the ticket will boost turnout and help out the rest of the ticket

fact - come election day, bush will most likely be more popular in NC than any democrat that is running against him.

i'm not saying that this seat isn't winnable. in some ways, dole may have been a harder candidate to beat - she gets the soccer moms, she's moderate, and democrats feel comfortable voting for her. but burr has the instate organization that she never had. i doubt if he goes towards the center much, instead relying on the conservatives to turn out and vote, which they will probably already do for bush. don't think for a second that the presidential election won't affect this race. this is gonna be a hard one to hold on to.

[surfermaw]

12. Recession & unemployment

Remember the state of North Carolina has been hit hard by unemployment. And the old Republicans who have retired, that vote like there fathers did ....Are being hit hard by loosing intrest on their savings, high price of meds and high gas prices...Another thing they beleive in saving..Bush debts are going to be deeper than his dads. Many new people moving into the Carolinas. I think the political climate is changing..A few more weeks of time to campaign and I beleive Bowls would have won.

[renie408]

13. What they said

Everybody keeps writing NC off as a Republican stronghold, but the more I see and hear, the more I think that things could swing here over the next year. People here are pretty fed up with the way things have been going. Outside of Charlotte and Raleigh, lots of towns are getting hit hard with layoffs and plant closings. It will not be easy, but let's not forget that Bush isn't nearly as popular now as he was when Bowles ran against Dole for a seat that had been held by a popular Republican for thirty years and won 45% of the vote to her 54%. Bush does have coattails, but they are not nearly as long as they were two years ago.

[JI7]

10. would not bet AGAINST him as next president

edwards has something that if people can see it will appeal to them. i certainly would not bet against him being our next president at this point. consider his senate race in 98. the fact that he pulled it off in north carolina during the whole lewinsky thing against an incumbant is a big thing. i personally would have rather had him waited to see the results of the primary and drop out only if he had won the nomination but i can understand why he would do this. i will watch for his official announcement.

[genius]

11. Edwards has a lot of integrity. I'm sure that he'll wind up in the

executive branch or the judiciary if he or any of the other good candidates win.