NOV. 3: John Edwards is elected to his first political office, U.S. senator.

2003

JAN. 1: Edwards announces a presidential bid.

SEPT. 7: Edwards says he will not seek re-election to the Senate.

2004

JANUARY: Edwards places second in the Iowa caucuses behind John Kerry. He finishes fourth in New Hampshire.

FEB. 3: He finishes first in the South Carolina primary and second in Oklahoma.

FEB. 17: He finishes a strong second in the Wisconsin primary.

MARCH 2: He fails to win any of the 10 Super Tuesday contests.

MARCH 3: Edwards leaves the race.

MAY 8: Edwards speaks to Ohio Democrats, part of an apparent audition tour for vice president.

JULY 6: Kerry announces his pick of Edwards as his running mate.

NOV. 2: President Bush and Vice President Cheney are re-elected. The next day, John and Elizabeth Edwards get confirmation that she has cancer.

2005

FEBRUARY: Edwards is named director of the new Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill.

2006

MAY: Edwards says he will not run for president if his wife's health worsens.

DEC. 28: He begins his second run for president from a Katrina-ravaged section of New Orleans.

2007

JAN. 20: Sen. Hillary Clinton announces she will run for president.

FEB. 10: Sen. Barack Obama enters the race.

MARCH 22: John and Elizabeth Edwards announce that her breast cancer has returned. This time, the cancer is in her rib and is incurable. They plan to continue with the campaign.

JULY: Edwards takes flak for $400 haircuts from a Beverly Hills stylist.

SEPTEMBER: Edwards says he will accept public campaign financing.

2008

JAN. 3: Edwards finishes second to Obama in the Iowa caucuses.

JAN. 8: He finishes a distant third in the New Hampshire primary.

JAN. 19: In Nevada, he finishes third again, this time in single-digits.

SATURDAY: Edwards finishes a distant third in South Carolina primary.

WEDNESDAY: Edwards drops out.

(Compiled by News Researcher Denise Jones)