Almost immediately after Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore lost the election of 2000, speculation began about whom the party would pick to head its ticket in 2004. Since then, Senator John Edwards of North Carolina has appeared on almost everyone's "short list" of potential candidates, and as the election draws nearer, his name is becoming more and more familiar to Americans.

One of the youngest potential candidates, Edwards was born in 1953 in Robbins, North Carolina, to parents of very modest means. He attended public school in Robbins, and became the first person in his family to attend college. He worked his way through North Carolina State University, graduating with honors in 1974, and earned a law degree in 1977 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He spent a number of years as a trial lawyer before being elected to the Senate in 1998.

As a first term senator, Mr. Edwards gained recognition for co-sponsoring with Edward Kennedy the Bipartisan Patient Protection Act, the strongest patient's rights legislation passed by the Senate in 2001. He currently serves on five Senate committees, including the influential Judiciary Committee, but because of the seniority system in Congress, he does not have high official committee standing. However, he has commanded attention from his colleagues and the media as a fresh, articulate new voice for the Democratic Party. Often described as attractive, charming, media savvy, and intelligent, Edwards has appeared frequently on television political talk shows, and has given a number of speeches across the country.

As an aspiring Democratic presidential candidate, John Edwards has the advantage of being a moderate southerner. Over the past half century, the Democratic Party has seen a steady erosion of support from southern voters. The trend is so strong that many believe that the party's future depends on its ability to remain competitive below the Mason-Dixon line. Tellingly, the last three Democratic Presidents have all been moderate southerners -- Lyndon Johnson from Texas, Jimmy Carter from Georgia, and Bill Clinton from Arkansas. So it is no wonder that Edwards, despite his limited political experience, is seen by many as a strong contender for the presidency in 2004.

John Edwards lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with his wife Elizabeth and two young children. Their eldest child, Catharine, is a student at Princeton University.