Sen. Kennedy Announces He Won't Run For LA Gov

 Kennedy’s announcement,  made in a press release, came as a surprise.     It’s widely believed the senator would have been a formidable opponent as Republicans  try  to  unseat  the  Deep South's only Democratic governor.   Kennedy matches Edwards in popularity,  and has considerable fundraising skills needed to mount a successful campaign.   But Kennedy, age  67, has quickly raised his profile in the nation’s capitol , giving him more of a footing in Congress than was expected.   Governor Edwards, age 52, is also popular:   A recent poll showed both men with approval ratings around 60 percent.  Kennedy’s announcement leaves the Republicans without a well-known challenger to Edwards less than a year away from election day.