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As published by MSNBC.com:
Kerry, Edwards sprint toward Super Tuesday
Democratic race down to two after close finish in Wisconsin
The Associated Press
Updated: 12:11 p.m. ET Feb. 18, 2004
Having failed to deliver a knockout blow in the Democratic presidential primary in Wisconsin, John Kerry lined up Wednesday alongside persistent challenger John Edwards for what is now a two-man sprint to the March 2 “Super Tuesday” primaries in 10 crucial states.
The primary injected a large measure of drama into the Super Tuesday contests, two weeks away. Kerry emerged again as the victor, with just under 40 percent of the vote, but Edwards remained in the race with a late charge that saw him capture 34 percent of the ballots – an outcome that was far closer than pre-primary polls suggested and Kerry’s narrowest victory since he began his run through the primary season.
Meanwhile, Howard Dean’s candidacy was ending after his distant third place finish in Wisconsin, sources told NBC News. He was scheduled to announce his plans at a 1 p.m. news conference in Burlington, Vt.
“The voters of Wisconsin sent a clear message,” Edwards said afterward. “The message was this: Objects in your mirror may be closer than they appear.”
But Kerry gave no indication he was fazed by the Edwards surge in Wisconsin. “We’re going to win the nomination,” Kerry told the Associated Press.
‘We play everywhere’
Kerry’s advisers pointed out that even though Edwards closed the gap in Wisconsin, Kerry still has won 15 of 17 contests. Edwards has only one, South Carolina, where he was born.
“We play everywhere, unlike John Edwards and Howard Dean and anyone else in the race,” said Steve Elmendorf, Kerry’s deputy campaign manager. “The problem these other candidates have is they are not competing in a serious way to get enough delegates to get the nomination.”
But Edwards — in the manner of underdogs everywhere — saw opportunity in his narrow loss.
“Republicans who would consider voting Democratic and independents are the people we have to win over to win the general election. That’s why I’m the best candidate to take on George Bush,” he said.
The March 2 contests are in California, New York, Ohio, Minnesota, Vermont, Georgia, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Maryland. At stake will be 1,151 delegates, more than half the total needed to claim the nomination.
Utah, Idaho and Hawaii will vote next Feb. 24, but with only 61 delegates up for grabs total, those states will not be a focus of the campaign.
Edwards' aides see March 2 opportunities
Aides say Edwards’ populist message will resonate in Ohio and upstate New York, areas hard hit by job losses. The Southern-bred candidate also should do well in Georgia. California is by far the day’s biggest prize, with 370 delegates, followed by New York with 236.
In the final days of the Wisconsin race, Edwards criticized Kerry’s support of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The message found a receptive audience: In exit polls, three-fourths of voters said trade with other countries takes jobs from their state.
Edwards and Kerry split the ballots cast by those voters, though the North Carolina senator did better than the front-runner among voters who cited the economy and jobs as top issues.
Edwards’ surge in Wisconsin was fueled by the highest Republican turnout of the primary season and voters who made up their minds in the last week. His deepest support was in the GOP suburbs of Milwaukee.
“That’s been happening in other primaries too,” Edwards said in an interview. “Republicans who would consider voting Democratic and independents are the people we have to win over to win the general election. That’s why I’m the best candidate to take on George Bush.”
The strong GOP turnout was boosted by city government elections in Milwaukee and a controversial referendum on casino gambling by an Indian tribe.
Primaries in Georgia, Ohio and Vermont on March 2 will be open to all voters, as will the caucuses in Minnesota.
Pushing for one-on-one debate
Now the only Democrat with a glimmer of hope to beat Kerry, Edwards is pushing for a one-on-one debate with the front-runner before next month’s showdown.
The Democratic race once had 10 candidates, but the field is now down to four, although Dennis Kucinich and Al Sharpton haven’t won a single contest.
The calendar favors Kerry, as it has since the night little more than a month ago when he defeated Edwards by 6 percentage points to claim victory in the kickoff Iowa caucuses.
He has more money than his rival, and the party establishment has begun to coalesce around him. The AFL-CIO is expected to endorse Kerry’s candidacy later this week, and he routinely picks up the support of governors and senators as he campaigns in primary states.
But if Edwards’ candidacy survives March 2, the political terrain offers him hope a week later, when four Southern states vote.
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