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The surprise announcement by Mr Edwards came despite his vow just last week to stay in the race through next Tuesday when nearly half the US states hold nominating contests. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON - DEMOCRATIC candidate John Edwards abandoned his populist US presidential bid on Wednesday, leaving the race to front-runners Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
The surprise announcement by Mr Edwards, a former North Carolina senator who was his party's vice presidential nominee four years ago, came despite his vow just last week to stay in the race through next Tuesday when nearly half the US states hold nominating contests.
With a similar announcement expected later on Wednesday on the Republican side from former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, both the Democratic and Republican fields now will be narrowed to two main candidates ahead of the 'Super Tuesday' contests.
Mrs Clinton, a New York senator and former first lady, now faces Mr Obama, an Illinois senator, in a race without a clear favorite. Each would make history as either the first woman or first black president of the United States.
Among Republicans, Arizona Senator John McCain is pitted against former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is still formally in the race but his lack of money and appeal beyond Christian conservatives has left him trailing.
Mr Edwards was to formally announce his withdrawal at 1pm (2am Singapore time) in New Orleans where he launched his campaign focused on combating poverty and helping the middle class, a campaign official said.
He had outlined a platform of upholding the interests of working Americans against big corporations but was under pressure to quit, having failed to match his 2004 performance.
Mr Edwards was not expected to immediately endorse either Mrs Clinton or Mr Obama.
Mr Giuliani also planned to drop out and was expected to endorse Mr McCain later on Wednesday after coming a distant third in Tuesday's Republican primary in Florida.
Mr McCain won that vote, cementing his status as Republican front-runner to contest the November election to succeed President George W. Bush.
Mr Romney, a multi-millionaire former venture capitalist who has poured millions from his personal fortune into the race and vastly outspent Mr McCain in Florida, said it was now a two-man race.
'The options are me or John McCain,' he told Fox News on Wednesday.
Mr McCain and Mr Romney split the previous four of the state-by-state nominating contests.
Mr McCain won in South Carolina and New Hampshire and Mr Romney carried Michigan and Nevada, the latter a state scarcely contested by other Republicans. Mr Huckabee won the kick-off contest in Iowa.
Mrs Clinton on Tuesday easily won a Florida Democratic race that featured no active campaigning because of a dispute between the national and state parties.
She has led national polls but Mr Obama has demonstrated an ability to inspire and mobilise voters and has picked up some high-profile endorsements, including that of Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy, a liberal icon. -- REUTERS
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