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| | Edwards expected to go to Arkansas
Wednesday, Jul 14, 2004 By Samantha Young Stephens Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - North Carolina Sen. John Edwards returned to the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, where he vowed to campaign in Southern battleground states critical to the Democrats' goal of taking back the Senate. In a 10-minute speech to Senate Democrats, Edwards gave assurances that as the party's vice presidential candidate he would stump frequently in the South, according to lawmakers who attended the private luncheon. "I think John Edwards is one of us. His father was a mill worker for 30 years. John Edwards grew up in a small town, he has a blue collar background and he made a success of himself," said Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., who predicted Kerry and Edwards would win his state. Since Edwards' addition to the national ticket, both parties have been claiming the South, where Republicans have shown strength in recent elections, as a region where their Senate candidates can win. Democrats are touting Edwards' southern roots and humble beginnings while Republicans are painting the senator as a liberal, millionaire trial lawyer. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., is the only Southern Democrat seeking re-election and political pundits expect her to hold onto her seat. But Arkansas has been targeted as a key battleground for the presidency. President Bush narrowly carried the state in 2000 and Democrats are hoping that Arkansas swing voters will support Kerry as they did Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996. Sen. Jon Corzine, D-N.J., chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said the party has had discussions with the John Kerry presidential campaign about sending Edwards to North Carolina, Arkansas and Louisiana. "We're going to try and lever his efforts," Corzine said. "It's important that we run a national campaign and that we're not ignoring the South." Sen. John Breaux, D-La., who is retiring this year leaving one of five open seats in the South, called Edwards a "big help geographically." "He's one who can speak to the interests of the South and he helps immensely," Breaux said. "It puts many states in the South in play." Republicans dismissed Edwards' address Tuesday as a pep talk laced with "empty rhetoric," in the words of Dan Allen, National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman. Allen pointed to a poll published Tuesday in USA TODAY showing that President Bush would win North Carolina by 15 points over Kerry and Edwards. Edwards told senators that Kerry viewed a Democratic Senate as critical to a successful Kerry administration. Republicans now control the Senate with 51 votes. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., predicted Edwards also would appeal beyond the South to states like Oregon, Ohio and Washington that have suffered record job losses and a stagnant economy. "He's going to spend a lot of time on Senate races," Wyden said. "We're very excited about our prospects of taking the Senate back." -- 30 -- |
