U.S. Democrat and former North Carolina Senator John Edwards has announced that he has suspended his bid for U.S. presidency.
Speaking in the southern city of New Orleans Wednesday, Edwards said it is time for him to step aside so "history can blaze its path." He said the Democratic Party will do its part to be strong and unified and will take back the White House in the November presidential election.
Edwards' did not win any of the Democratic nominating contests.
He did not indicate if he would endorse either of the two leading Democratic candidates -- Illinois Senator Barack Obama or New York Senator and former first lady Hillary Clinton.
Among Republican presidential hopefuls, Senator John McCain of Arizona says his victory in Tuesday's Florida Republican primary gives his campaign momentum heading into next week's multi-state primaries and caucuses.
McCain defeated former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.
The two candidates debate tonight at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is expected to drop out of the Republican race later today and endorse McCain, after finishing a distant third in Florida.
On the Democratic side, Clinton won in Florida over Obama, but the national Democratic Party has stripped Florida of its delegates as a penalty for moving up its primary election.
Clinton, speaking to her supporters in Florida, said the win gives her campaign an important edge heading into Super Tuesday. Obama won the South Carolina Democratic primary last Saturday, with Clinton finishing a distant second.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
