Edwards Drops Out of Presidential Race, Virtually Assuring Kerry the Democratic Nomination

Sen. John Edwards, who had emerged as a strong contender against front-runner Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., in recent weeks, will drop out of the Democratic presidential nomination race on Wednesday, barely a day after the closely watched Super Tuesday contests. Edwards' withdrawal, as reported by CNN and confirmed by a campaign spokeswoman, would virtually guarantee Kerry the Democratic nomination and a chance to face President Bush in the 2004 presidential election. Edwards, 50, had been fighting a tough campaign, marked by his difficulty in differentiating his position on issues from Kerry's, and his struggles to win primaries and caucuses.

Key Takeaways:

• Edwards emerged as a strong contender against Kerry after surprising close finishes in several primaries and caucuses, including the Wisconsin primary on Feb. 17, where he finished second behind Kerry.
• Edwards' withdrawal would leave Kerry virtually assured of the Democratic nomination, with Kerry projected to win eight or nine of the Super Tuesday contests and Kerry having secured a third of the 2,162 delegates needed to win.
• Edwards had secured only one primary or caucus victory, in his native South Carolina, while Kerry was projected to win 26 or 27 of 30 races, pending Georgia.
• Edwards had spoken of the "two Americas" and had focused on trade issues and jobs loss as key campaign themes, contrasting his background as the son of a mill worker with Kerry's background from an influential Boston family.
• Edwards' wife, Elizabeth, is also an attorney, and the couple has four children, one of whom died in a car accident in 1996.
• Kerry and Edwards spoke on the phone Tuesday evening and planned to speak again on Wednesday, but the content of their conversation was not known.

Statistics:

• Kerry was projected to win eight or nine of the Super Tuesday contests
• Edwards had secured one primary or caucus victory
• Kerry had approximately one-third of the 2,162 delegates needed to win the presidential nomination
• Edwards' withdrawal would virtually guarantee Kerry the Democratic nomination

Sources:

• CNN, reporting that Edwards will drop out of the presidential nomination race
• United Press International, quoting a campaign spokeswoman as unable to confirm whether Edwards was planning to drop out
• Washington Post, reporting that Edwards had secured only one primary or caucus victory in his native South Carolina.