Edwards out, where to for supporters?

Las Vegas- Former N.C. Sen. John Edwards ended his presidential campaign today, speaking from New Orleans’ Ninth Ward, the place where he announced his run over thirteen months ago. 

Edwards ended his campaign after only the first four nominating contests of the Democratic calendar, races where he failed to gain a win but did receive twenty-six pledged delegates to the national convention.  Edwards had also received the endorsements of thirty-six super-delegates across the country who will likewise now have to choose between N.Y. Sen. Hillary Clinton and Ill. Sen. Barack Obama.

“It’s kind of a sad day,” said Nevada Assemblyman David Bobzien (D-Washoe) Wednesday.  Bobzien endorsed Edwards last September.

“I think there’s a lot to be said for just how much he moved the debate,” said Bobzien.  “We’re now talking about economic security.  We’re talking about health care.  We’re now talking about global warming and I think a lot of that’s due to his leading on those issues.”

Although Edwards’ support in the Nevada caucuses wasn’t enough to garner him a pledged delegate to the national convention, he did receive 396 delegates to the various county conventions who will now have to choose between the remaining Democrats.  With the exact delegate count between Clinton and Obama still unclear, those precinct delegates may have the power to shake up perceptions of who really won the Nevada caucuses.

“I think that a lot of the delegates are going to wait and see to try to get a sense of where [Edwards] would want his delegates to go,” said Bobzien, who will be one of those precinct delegates.  “At this point, I remain loyal to the campaign.”

More importantly, it is also unclear where Edwards’ supporters in other states will go. 

“I think they’re going to split pretty evenly nationally,” said UNLV political scientist David Damore Wednesday.  Edwards most recently polled at 13.5 percent according to the RealClearPolitics average.

Damore also believes Edwards’ Nevada supporters will go to both candidates and pointed to pre-caucus polling that showed Edwards’ supporters evenly split on their second choices.

And what impact would an Edwards endorsement have on the race?

“I don’t think he’ll do that,” said Damore.  “That would be my guess.  After all, he wants to try to stay relevant.”