Surprise: Edwards Suspends Presidential Race

In a move that has caught most by surprise, Democrat John Edwards today suspended his presidential campaign.

And in a nuance not caught by many, he did not withdraw; he instead suspended his campaign, meaning he retains all the delegates he has won. That means he will go to the Democratic National Convention in Denver with some power should frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama wind up in a deadlock.

Edwards, a former North Carolina senator and two-time White House candidate, had previously pledged to stay in the race through the convention despite suffering losses in every early voting state to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Many believed he wanted to be a in position to be influential if the Democratic National Convention in Denver became deadlocked over the party nominee in a "brokered" convention. By suspending his campaign, he can be in that position.

Edwards had especially banked on a strong performance in his home state of South Carolina, where he won in the 2004 primary, to give his campaign a lift before Super Tuesday, Feb. 5, when 24 states hold primaries and caucuses for both parties. Even after he placed third there behind Clinton, he pledged to soldier on, putting campaign staff on the ground in select Feb. 5 states.

Share |