Original sentence: He had a fairly successful term as the governor of North Carolina and he easily won reelection in 2004 in a state that John Kerry lost by fifteen points.His term runs out in 2008 and his candidacy would put fifteen electoral votes from North Carolina in play.Mike Easley, The last two Democratic presidents have been Southern governors, and many political pundits feel that only a red state governor can win in the Presidency for the Democrats in 2008
Edited sentence: Easley could be a lock-down candidate in the primaries and the general if he decides to run.Governor Mike Easley of North Carolina is a prime example.His record of bipartisanship should appeal to independents in a way the Republican candidate most likely won't.His term conveniently runs out in 2008 and his candidacy would automatically put fifteen electoral votes in play.Mike Easley, The last two Democratic presidents have been Southern governors, and conventional wisdom holds that only a redstate governor can win in the Presidency for the Democrats in 2008.Nevertheless there are Southern governors who would be formidable candidates in any case.That wisdom may or may not be right, it is dangerous to take lessons from past presidential campaigns seeing as how small the statistical sample is.The consensus is that his term as governor has been a success, and he easily won reelection in 2004 in a state that John Kerry lost by fifteen points