Warner bows out of White House bid, leaving crowded field

WASHINGTON --Mark Warner's decision to bow out of the early presidential race leaves a field still crowded with Democrats competing to be the most attractive alternative to front-runner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Fifteen months before the first vote is cast in a presidential primary, the departure of the centrist Democrat and former Virginia governor alters the dynamics of a race still taking shape. The lineup, however, remains largely the same -- Clinton and about a dozen others.

"It's good for Hillary. Anytime a serious contender drops out that helps the front-runner," said Steve Elmendorf, the deputy campaign manager for Democrat John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign. "Warner would have been, perhaps, the strongest, or certainly one of the strongest candidates, to become the anti-Hillary. This also will help somebody who's looking at that role."

Like several other Democrats, Warner, who attended high school in Connecticut, maneuvered to become Clinton's strongest challenger and used his Forward Together committee to lay the groundwork for a presidential run after leaving the governor's office in January because of Virginia's one-term limit.

"I respect his decision. It's such an intensely personal decision," Clinton said in Syracuse, N.Y., during a campaign appearance for her 2006 Senate re-election race. "He's been a tremendous public servant, and I hope we haven't seen the last of him in Democratic politics and on the national scene."

Other rivals also offered similar praise. Warner's exit could help some distinguish themselves from the pack.

The field of centrist Democrats from Republican-held states has winnowed to Sen. Evan Bayh, a former Indiana governor, and Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack. Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, the Democrats' vice presidential candidate in 2004, now is the only Southerner left in the field.

And, Edwards, Vilsack and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson could be more attractive to voters looking for a candidate who works outside of Washington.

Others expected to run include: Kerry, D-Mass., Democratic Sens. Joe Biden of Delaware, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, and Christopher Dodd of Connecticut.

It's also possible that Warner's exit could encourage more Democrats to jump into the mix, such as first-term Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., whose appearance in Iowa at an annual Democratic gathering last month stoked talk of a presidential run.

For much of the year, Warner has traveled the country to campaign with the party's candidates in this fall's midterm congressional election and determine whether to formally enter the race to succeed President Bush in 2008.

Bright, handsome and charming, he was considered a serious contender.

Age 51, the Southerner was well-received in visits to early primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire by Democrats hungry for a fresh face. A centrist Democrat, Warner had proven he could win in a Republican-leaning state. Also appealing to supporters was his skills as a campaigner, his ability to raise millions of dollars -- $9 million as of Aug. 31 -- and his leadership experience in both the private and public sectors.

"He fit the description of new blood, new energy," said Donna Brazile, who ran Democrat Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign.

In the end, Warner exited the race even before he had officially entered it, fearing the impact of a full-blown campaign on his wife, Lisa Collis, and his daughters, ages 12, 15 and 16. He made his final decision, he said, after taking a few days off to celebrate his father's 81st birthday and tour colleges with his eldest daughter.

"At this point, I want to have a real life," Warner said in a statement.

The Democrat could be considered for a vice presidential slot and would not rule out running for the Senate or seeking the governorship again, which is permitted under state law. He also left open the possibility of a future presidential bid but conceded to reporters in Virginia: "Things will probably never be as aligned as they are right now." Bill Carrick, a Democratic strategist in California, said every candidate will now say my chances are better because there's one less serious contender.

"I also can't help but note that this is the second presidential candidate from Virginia to be eliminated this year -- one voluntarily, one involuntarily," Carrick said.

That was a reference to Republican Sen. George Allen. His presidential chances have all but disappeared as he fights to keep his political career alive after several missteps in his Senate re-election race.

--------

AP Writers Bob Lewis in Richmond, Va., and John Kekis in Syracuse, N.Y., contributed to this report.