Edwards Campaign Press Release - Edwards Discusses Plan to Connect Hard-Working Americans to Smart Training for Good-Paying, Union Jobs

Carpenters' President calls Edwards Most Electable Democratic Candidate

Las Vegas, Nevada – Senator John Edwards made his 15th trip to Nevada today and spoke with Carpenters at a town hall meeting on worker training and job creation.

"Right now, our public jobs programs send job seekers into low-wage jobs and do nothing to help build the middle class. I have a plan called Training Works to connect hard-working Americans to smart training for good-paying, union jobs that actually exist," Edwards said at the Carpenters International Training Center.

Along with his Training Works plan, which includes Career Ladders to train low-wage workers on the job for higher-wage, higher-skilled jobs in their same field, Edwards talked about his Green Collar Jobs program to create over 1 million new jobs in the 'new energy economy.'

"The Carpenters Union chose Edwards as the candidate with the best chance of winning the White House and the person who will best represent hard-working families," Carpenters Union International General President Doug McCarron said.

The Carpenters Union is one of the largest and most politically active unions in Nevada. The union, which represents over 12,000 members in the state, endorsed Edwards last month. Edwards has also received support from the United Steelworkers of America and the Transport Workers of America, giving him the largest bloc of labor support for any presidential candidate in Nevada.

McCarron continued, "John Edwards has committed to campaign in all 50 states when he wins the nomination. He believes that all Americans, whether they see themselves as Democrats, Republicans or Independents, want real change and bold leadership, and he is confidant that his message of telling the American people the truth and fighting for real change will win these voters and states."

The Edwards campaign has launched a 4-day "True Blue Majority" campaign to highlight Edwards' ability to win in the South, in the West and in battleground states.

Edwards' strength at the top of the ticket will motivate swing voters in "red," "blue" and "purple" states alike to support the Democratic Party in 2008. Edwards will help Democrats not only to take back the White House, but also to maintain and expand their majorities in Congress and state legislatures, as well as in thousands of down-ballot races across the country.

Nationwide general election polling shows John Edwards is the Democrat with the best chance of defeating the Republican candidate in the 2008 general election for President.

Edwards is the only Democrat with a significant lead in a head-to-head match-up against Republican frontrunner Giuliani. Against the other three major Republican candidates in the key battleground states, Edwards' average margin of victory is significantly higher than Hillary Clinton's average margin.

Edwards also outperforms the other Democratic candidates in match-ups with Republican candidates in key battleground states including Iowa, Missouri, and Ohio. Further, unlike other Democrats who must "run the table" in states where Democrats have been competitive in recent elections, Edwards brings new states into play.

In addition to winning the White House, Democrats are looking to maintain and expand their majorities in Congress.

Many of the frontline Democrats elected to the House of Representatives last cycle were elected in red districts. In the Senate, the party must defend seats in red states like Montana, Louisiana, South Dakota and West Virginia, as well as attempt to pick up seats in red and purple states like Colorado, New Mexico and Virginia.

Democrats need a nominee at the top of the ticket who energizes swing voters to help those races, and who can actively campaign for each of those seats.