EDWARDS LEADS NORTH CAROLINA POLL

John Edwards, a former senator from North Carolina and the Democratic nominee for vice-president in 2004, is the 2008 presidential candidate of choice among North Carolina Democrats.

Already showing a lead in Iowa, Edwards leads his home state with 29% support of those polled by Public Policy Polling of Raleigh. Sen. Hillary Clinton (16%) and Sen. Barack Obama (15%) are pretty much tied for second.

Among Republicans, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani is ahead at 30%, but Newt Gingrich is essentialy tied with him, at 29%. Sen. John McCain, who's 2000 campaign was derailed in North Carolina by aggressive campaigning (smear tactics) by Karl Rove and crew, is third in North Carolina this time around, at 22%. Former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney is a very distant fourth, at 6%.

EDWARDS TO SPEND MLK WEEKEND ON CLINTON'S TURF

The (NY) Daily News reports today that Edwards will be spending part of his Martin Luther King Day weekend on Hillary Clinton's turf. He'll be giving a sermon at a church in Harlem on Sunday.

TEXAS REP. RON PAUL TO MAKE PRESIDENTIAL BID

Texas Republican congressman Ron Paul has filed to run for the GOP presidential nomination, according to Hotline On Call. Paul was the 1988 Libertarian Party candidate for president.