John Reid Edwards is notable for being the democrat on the ticket for the Vice Presidency in ’04 as well as for serving a term as a United States Senator from North Carolina. He was born in Seneca, South Carolina on June 10^th, 1953 and was raised in North Carolina. Hi father was a worker in the textile mills and he soon joined him. He cultured a belief that all of those living in America deserved an opportunity to work and be heard no matter what their background. He is also notable for a scandal that was in the news fairly recently.

John Edwards won his senatorial seat in 1998 defeating Lauch Faircloth, who was a Republican. When Edwards finished his term as senator he started out running for the Presidency in the 2004 election, but eventually became the nominee for Vice-President instead. He was the running-mate of John Kerry, who was the Senator for Massachusetts. Edwards lost the election eventually to George W. Bush and his Vice-President, Dick Cheney and began working at One America which was a political action committee that he started while serving as senator.

Edwards parents were Wallace Reid Edwards and Catharine Juanita Edwards. He was in several locations between his birth and finally settling in Robbins, North Carolina. While his father worked at the mill, his mother finished antiques and worked for the Postal Service as well when his father was no longer working. Edwards played football in high school and was very good at it, and eventually attended Clemson University, being the first of his family to go to college. He transferred to North Carolina State University and earned a law degree.

John married his wife Elizabeth, who’s maiden name was Anania, in 1977, and they had four children. Wade was born in 1979, Cate three years later in 1982 and Emma Claire in 1998. Jack was born in 2000. Edwards has one more child, born to former mistress Rielle Hunter. In 1996, Edwards son Wade was killed in a car accident. At the end of 2004, John’s wife Elizabeth publicly revealed that she had breast cancer and was being treated. She continued to work while receiving chemo and radio therapy. She died of her disease on December 7^th, 2010.

Edwards was the subject of some controversy regarding his extramarital affair with Rielle Hunter, which was reported by the tabloids in 2007. Hunter had previously worked on the campaign. By the middle of 2008 news and media outlets were reporting that his chances for the Vice Presidency were slim because of the allegations. For a long time, Edwards denied the allegations, and denied that he has a child with Reille Hunter, but the truth finally came out. There was also allegations of the misuse of campaign money related to the affair.