I donated to John Edwards today. I think it's important to donate to your preferred politicians today, because anybody's campaign ends when the money dries up, and now that the first results are in, the money is going to start to move toward people who look inevitable.
John Edwards is the candidate who best represents what I care about right now, and it's in my interest to help keep him in the race as long as possible.*
I think it's in the interest of the parties to keep the primaries contested as long as possible, to keep people involved in the process. Voter turnout in Democratic primaries is running way above turnout in Republican primaries. We want that energy in late primary states as much as we want it in early primary states.
*As a liberal progressive Catholic Democrat, I, of course, feel guilty about supporting the white guy over the woman and the black guy. I mean, one of the principles of my social philosophy is that I'm not supposed to care whether any of them are white or black or green or Klinefelter's or CAIS or TVTS or whatever, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to feel guilty!
If my "research" is correct, here are the last prior government positions held by the person elected at the quadrennial US presidential elections.
Notes:
Andrew Jackson is included as a former senator, although he is better known as a general. William Henry Harrison is included as a former ambassador, although he was also a former senator and best known as a general; he also held no public office for 11 years before his election.
Franklin Pierce is included as a general; he is also a former senator. James Buchanan is included as an ambassador; he is also a former Secretary of State. Abraham Lincoln is included as a former representative, but had held no public office for 11 years before his election.
Grover Cleveland is the former president listed in the incumbent category, to account for his non-continuous terms.
The governors presided over Texas, Arkansas, California, Georgia, New York (2), New Jersey, Ohio (2), and Tennessee.
The cabinet secretaries' departments are Commerce, War, and State. The Secretaries of State are James Madison, James Monroe, and John Quincy Adams, all in a row in the early 19th Century.
In the last 100 years, the breakdown is Incumbent 12, Governor 6, Vice President 2, Senator 2, Cabinet Secretary 2, General 1.
In short, 49 elected candidates came from one or another executive branch; only 6 came from the legislative branch.