Senate leader not to join White House race

Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle will not run for US president, saying today his passion 'lies here in the Senate'.

He leaves the field to a handful of aspirants including former House Democratic leader Dick Gephardt.

“After careful reflection, I’ve concluded that at this moment in our history, with so many important decisions to be made about our nation’s future,” Daschle said in a terse statement released by his Washington office.

“ My passion lies here in the Senate,” the South Dakotan said.

Daschle’s surprise announcement left the field for the 2004 Democratic nomination to fellow senators John Kerry and John Edwards, along with Vermont Governor Howard Dean and Gephardt.

Senator Bob Graham of Florida has expressed interest in the nomination, and Senator Joseph Lieberman has said he would say this month whether he would run.

The soft-spoken, occasionally self-effacing Daschle has surprised even his own colleagues with his political acumen since emerging from a relatively obscure position to take over as the Democrats’ Senate leader in 1994.

President George Bush is almost certain to be the Republican party candidate in 2004.