Edwards Meets With Supporters in MO

Edwards meets with, and gains new, supporters in MO today...

From West Coast to the East Coast, Edwards is the best candidate to win the general election and bring real change to America

St. Louis, Missouri – Today, John Edwards visited St. Louis as part of his three-day coast to coast tour, and called on voters to join him in his campaign to take our country back from powerful entrenched interests and make our government work for working families and the middle class. Over the past two days, Edwards has visited Nevada, California, and Oklahoma, and today, he is visiting Missouri, Georgia and South Carolina to demonstrate his broad, coast to coast strength and his advantage as the best candidate to win the general election. As a sign of Edwards growing strength in the state, he was endorsed today by State Senator Ryan McKenna, former Speaker Missouri House Jim Kreider, and former State Representative Wayne Henke.

"To get real change, we need a president who will stand up against the big corporations and powerful interests who control Washington," said Edwards. "The American people – whether they live in rural areas or urban areas, red states or blue states – need a President who will stand up for them. As President, I will make sure the voices of all Americans are heard in Washington. If we fight together, we can get the change we need and America will rise."

Speaking at the St. Louis Carpenters District Council, Edwards outlined his plans to stand up for hard-working families, like the ones he grew up with. From guaranteeing universal health care to creating well paying jobs and enacting trade policies that put the interests of workers, not multinational corporations first, Edwards will take on big corporate interests and help families get ahead. Born to a working class family and raised in small, rural towns, Edwards understands the struggles facing working families. He has spent his life standing up to powerful interests – and beating them.

Edwards' message is resonating with voters in red states and blue states, in big cities and small towns. In addition to strong grassroots support in these states, Edwards also enjoys the support of numerous labor groups and state and local elected officials who know that he is the best candidate to win the White House and bring real change to our country. A recent CNN poll showed Edwards was the only Democrat to beat all four leading Republicans nationally, and state by state polls show even more conclusively that Edwards is the most electable democrat in key battleground states -- and even wins in states like Missouri and Oklahoma that have gone "red" in recent presidential elections.

Edwards is the first Democratic presidential candidate to visit Missouri this year. He enjoys strong grassroots support in the state, including the support more than 33,000 union members across Missouri. Edwards has also won the support of dozens of Democratic elected officials and party leaders from every region of the state.

"We need a candidate who can bring real change to America and who can win. That candidate is John Edwards," said former Missouri Lt. Governor Joe Maxwell. "John Edwards can compete and win in every part of the country, including red states and battleground states because Americans identify with who he is and what he stands for – fairness and opportunity and making sure everyone has a chance."

"John Edwards is the change candidate in this campaign -- the candidate with not only the boldest ideas for change, but the candidate who can win in November, strengthen Democratic majorities in Congress and at the state level, and make his ideas a reality," said Missouri Democratic House Whip Connie Johnson. "John Edwards can go to any part of the country and help Democrats down-ballot. With John Edwards as our nominee, we can get the change we need in Missouri and across the country."

"I'm proud to support John Edwards because he understands, better than any other candidate, the challenges facing rural Americans," said Missouri State Senator Wes Shoemeyer. "John Edwards has offered real solutions to the challenges Americans in rural communities face, and he's determined to be a voice for regular people."

Edwards' supporters in Missouri include:

Former Lt. Governor Joe Maxwell

Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Frank Barnitz

State Senator Wes Shoemeyer

State Senator Tim Green

State Senator Ryan McKenna

State House Democratic Whip Connie Johnson

State House Democratic Caucus Chair Ed Wildberger

State Representative John Burnett

State Representative Curt Dougherty

State Representative Michael Frame

State Representative Jeff Roorda

State Representative Ray Salva

State Representative Tom Shively

State Representative Terry Young

Former State Representative and House Speaker Jim Kreider

Former State Representative Wayne Henke

Julie Gibson, former Chief of Staff to Governor Bob Holden

St. Louis Alderman Stephen Gregali

St. Louis City Committeeman Claude Brown

St. Louis American Editor Alvin Reid

Adair County Democratic Committee Chair Jerry Caldwell

Benton County Democratic Committee Vice Chair Mike Potter

Camden County Democratic Committee Chair Rick Pope

Dade County Democratic Committee Vice Chair Harlin Stump

Hickory County Democratic Committee Vice Chair Gerda Fitts

Jasper County Democratic Committee Vice Chair Betty Seeley

Jasper County Democratic Committee Chair Earl Roger Seeley

Knox County Democratic Committee Vice Chair Sharon Bradley

Marion County Democratic Committee Chair Joyce Kesner

Pettis County Democratic Committee Vice Chair Wanda Monsees

Saline County Democratic Committee Chair Susan Hunter

Shelby County Democratic Committee Secretary Harold Beach

Stoddard County Democratic Committee Treasurer Dennis Gregory

Texas County Democratic Committee Vice Chairperson Janis Mayberry

Wright County Democratic Committee Chair Gary Hall