Edwards says he won't quit Senate

[Frodo]

Subtitle - "Some Democrats think act could aid Bowles"


http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031772702824&path=!frontpage&s=

U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina says emphatically that he will not resign his Senate seat to concentrate on his bid for the White House, despite the fact that such as move could help Democrats hold the seat if Erskine Bowles were able to run as an incumbent

"I will not resign," Edwards said after leaving a fund-raiser for his presidential campaign late Wednesday. Earlier this year he said that he would not run for re-election to the Senate because he wanted to devote his energy to his presidential campaign.

Bowles, a former chief of staff to President Clinton, and U.S. Rep. Richard Burr, R-5th, are among the candidates for Edwards' seat.

Bowles lost to Republican Elizabeth Dole in the 2002 Senate race. Burr is completing his fifth term in the House. Republicans currently hold a 51-48 advantage in the Senate.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[Moderator]

1. DU Copyright rules

Posting entire articles violates the DU rules on copyright protection.

In the future, when posting articles published on other sites, please only excerpt 4-5 paragraphs and include a link to the entire article.

An Administrator will edit this post to comply with the rules shortly.

Thanks,
DU Moderator

[Frodo]

2. Ouch. My apologies. Here's the relevant paragraphs:

Maybe you can just delete my post and take these?


Subtitle - "Some Democrats think act could aid Bowles"


http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031772702824&path=!frontpage&s=


U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina says emphatically that he will not resign his Senate seat to concentrate on his bid for the White House, despite the fact that such as move could help Democrats hold the seat if Erskine Bowles were able to run as an incumbent.
"I will not resign," Edwards said after leaving a fund-raiser for his presidential campaign late Wednesday. Earlier this year he said that he would not run for re-election to the Senate because he wanted to devote his energy to his presidential campaign.


- Clip -

If Edwards were to resign before his term ended, Gov. Mike Easley, a Democrat, could appoint a successor. Since Bowles ran a strong campaign against Dole in 2002 and is running again, he would be a likely candidate. Were Bowles to run as an incumbent, he could present a stronger challenge to Burr because Bowles would have the edge of running on a legislative record of his own.

- BUT - Clip -

Brad Woodhouse, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, agreed that Edwards should hold on to his seat.

Historically, appointed candidates do not fare well in general elections.In 1986, U.S. Sen. John East, R-N.C., committed suicide less than six months before the general election. He was not running for re-election. Gov. Jim Martin, a Republican, appointed then-U.S. Rep. Jim Broyhill, R-10th - who had already won the Republican nomination for the Senate seat - to fill out the term. Five months later, Broyhill lost to Democrat Terry Sanford, a former governor, in the general election.

"People who are appointed to the Senate have a 50/50 chance to win. Voters resist appointments made by (people) other than themselves," said Larry Sabato, the director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.