By ROB CHRISTENSEN, Raleigh News & Observer

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Former U.S. Sen. Jesse A. Helms, the son of a North Carolina police chief who rose to national prominence as one of the leading lions of the American right, died early Friday morning. He was 86.

Now the Democratic presidential race comes to North Carolina -- sort of.

While this was once seen as a possible make-it-or-break-it state in the Democratic presidential nomination fight, it seems increasingly likely that the candidates will be paying more attention to Indiana, which also holds its primary May 6.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton are treating North Carolina as though the presidency depends on it.

In recent days, the campaigns began assembling ground operations that instantaneously dwarfed the efforts of candidates for governor, the U.S. Senate and dozens of other state offices.

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards ended his long-shot bid for the Democratic presidential nomination today, saying it was "time to step aside so that history can blaze its path."

Edwards announced his withdrawal in a Katrina-devastated neighborhood of New Orleans -- the same place he launched his candidacy more than a year ago.