Reply #13: Edwards won't run for Gov, not this time [View All]

[Jane Eyre]

Mike Easley is governor, and he is a Democrat. It is pretty much a given that he will run again, but it could be a tough race for him. Easley doesn't get out much, as we say here. Jim Hunt was all over the place and was very popular. Easley seems to be a homebody and not much of a people person.

Edwards has pissed off a lot of hardcore Dems here by trotting around the country instead of paying attention to his home state. For instance, he was out opening campaign offices in Iowa when Pillowtex closed for good in Kannapolis, NC. It was the biggest single layoff ever, but Edwards was out of sight even while Liddy Dole was on the radio every morning talking about the office she had just opened in Kannapolis. Dems here were pretty upset over his no-show. Then there was the "will he or won't he" guessing game about his Senate seat. A lot of folks in the upper ranks of the party were not happy that he took so long to announce his intentions, thus making it difficult for others to run.

The best thing that Edwards can do right now is to give up his seat before his term ends and let Governor Easley appoint Erskine Bowles for the remainder of the term. That would give Bowles a boost before the 2004 election. Don't count on it happening though.