Well Known Presidential Hopefuls to Drop from Race, Blogs to Influence Election

Two of the best known presidential candidate hopefuls will drop out during the coming year, and the use of blogs will help influence the choice of the Democratic Party candidate, predicts Dr. David Lanoue, chair of The University of Alabama’s political science department.

“By the end of 2007, two of the four current ‘frontrunners’ for president – Clinton, Obama, Giuliani, and McCain – will have dropped out of the race or decided against entering,” Lanoue says. “My guess is that those two will be Obama and Giuliani, but anything is possible.”

Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney will continue to gain momentum, and officially throw his hat in the ring. “Romney’s stock will rise significantly over the year, and he will become the leading contender from the Republican right,” Lanoue adds.

“The left-wing blogosphere ‘netroots’ will begin to coalesce around a more left-of-center Democratic challenger,” Lanoue predicts, “with retired General Wesley Clark and former Senator John Edwards two strong possibilities — and Al Gore a dark horse prospect. John Kerry will test the waters, find them uninviting, and decide not to run this time around.”

• VIDEO: Dr. David Lanoue discusses his predictions for national and state politics in 2007