Full Name: John Reid Edwards

Current Office: None

Born: Seneca, South Carolina, on June 10, 1953

Education: North Carolina State University (1974); University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Law School (1977)

Religion: Baptist

Family: Married to Mary Elizabeth Anania; they have four children (the oldest, Wade, died in a car accident when he was 16)

Significant Career Experience:

Director, Center on Poverty, Work, and Opportunity, UNC Chapel Hill, 2005-present
Candidate for Vice President, 2004
U.S. Senator, North Carolina, 1999-2005
Attorney, 1978-1998


He’s charming, he’s smart and he’s articulate. And in just six short years in the Senate, John Edwards earned himself a spot on the national ticket with fellow Senator John Kerry. Looking forward to the 2008 Presidential primaries, this relative political newcomer brings one of the strongest combinations of institutional strengths.

Edwards has been around this block before, being one of the first of the 2004 Presidential hopefuls to begin making the rounds, as far back as 2001, when he began fundraising in earnest for his original leadership PAC, New American Optimists, and seeking out speaking engagements in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Edwards essentially built a national fundraising network from scratch, touring the country to peddle himself as a likable Southern moderate, not unlike the last two Democrats to win national office. In the early stages of the 2004 election, Edwards won acclaim for being able to raise so much with such a low profile, and as the campaign continued, he eventually raised almost $34 million for his 2004 effort.

In 2008, Edwards will be able to go back to this donor base, which is likely to lift him to the top tier of early fundraising among Democratic contenders.

One distinct advantage Edwards has over other former national ticket candidates—John Kerry and Al Gore—is that the VP nominee usually avoids the brunt of the “loser” label, while still enjoying a lift from the national name recognition. In fact, Edwards was criticized during the campaign that he focused too much on increasing his positive name recognition, as he avoided the “attack dog” role typically taken by Vice Presidential nominees.

What Edwards lacks is a bigger soapbox to keep him relevant in the public eye. He did accept a faculty position at UNC Chapel Hill heading the Center on Poverty, Work, and Opportunity, which affords Edwards the chance to work closely with the issues he emphasized during his campaign, but this isn’t a position that will keep him in the news as frequently as other contenders.

Edwards still tours the country, both for his UNC job and for political engagements, and preserves good relations with the local Democratic networks that will matter in primary states in 2008. For instance, he was the guest speaker at the New Hampshire Democrats “100 Club” dinner.

In many ways, Edwards’ path to win the nomination in 2008 looks suspiciously like his path in 2004: make up for a lower public profile by diligently working the fundraising and local Democratic activist circuits to build and maintain a sufficient base from which to launch a campaign. Considering his popularity, huge donor list, and already laid groundwork in Iowa and New Hampshire, he’s off to a strong start. Coupled with his genuinely likable persona and ability to connect with people, John Edwards will be a fixture at the front of the pack.