Across the Nation

Florida with attempted kidnapping of romantic rival

ORLANDO, Fla.— Florida prosecutors charged an astronaut Friday with trying to kidnap a romantic rival, but they declined to file an attempted murder charge recommended by police.

Lisa Nowak, 43, was formally charged almost a month after she was arrested at an Orlando airport parking lot. Police have said the mother of three had raced 900 miles in her car from Houston to Orlando on Feb. 5 to confront a woman she viewed as a rival for a space shuttle pilot’s affection. Nowak donned a wig and trench coat, then sprayed a chemical into the woman’s car when she wouldn’t let Nowak in, police said.

Edwards looks to lock up union support in California

FRESNO — Democratic presidential contender John Edwards told farmworkers and labor leaders Friday he would fight to allow undocumented immigrants to work their way toward citizenship.

Edwards spoke to citrus workers and officials from the United Farm Workers in the San Joaquin Valley during a tour of California that will also include campaign and fundraising stops in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area. The former North Carolina senator stressed his support for organized labor.

"These workers are at the heart of why I want to be president of the United States,” Edwards said, flanked by UFW President Arturo Rodriguez. "We need comprehensive immigration reform in this country, and that includes the ability of people to earn citizenship.”

Edwards’ rural roots might give him an edge in California’s interior valley, a region his leading rivals for the Democratic nomination, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, have yet to visit, political analysts said.

"Edwards is trying to work the unions to get the early endorsements and he can relate to ag people as well,” said David Schecter, a political scientist at California State University, Fresno. "That’s crucial, but even more so will be raising several hundred thousand dollars an hour.”

Officials at the Federal Election Commission say the 2008 race could be the country’s first $1 billion presidential election.

On Thursday, Edwards announced he had surpassed his Internet fundraising goal of $1 million. Clinton has more than $11 million in her campaign chest left over from her Senate campaign, and Obama started the campaign with more than $500,000.

Following an afternoon luncheon with elected officials and industrial leaders at a Fresno golf course, Edwards was scheduled to attend fundraisers in Santa Monica and San Francisco, spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield said. His campaign also planned student rallies at the University of California, Berkeley and UCLA.

Organizers of the Fresno lunch meeting — which drew California Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno — said they raised about $50,000 for Edwards. Some guests also said they might attend receptions for Republican presidential hopefuls including former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Arizona Sen. John McCain, both of whom are expected to tour the valley.

"Most of us are Republicans, conservative folks,” said co-host Joe Uremovic, a Fresno agricultural attorney. "But John Edwards is such a clean, honest sort of person.”

The farmworkers union did not offer Edwards an endorsement, but officials said they would remember his help in pushing for federal disaster relief from the January freeze, which ruined more than $1 billion in crops.

Some 28,000 farmworkers were left unemployed by the freeze, and foodbanks are still running out of supplies, said UFW spokeswoman Alisha Rosas.

"He came to listen to us, the farmworkers,” said Angelina Zabala, a mother of six from Porterville. "I didn’t think the candidates were going to take what we have to say into account but I see he wants to help. I’m thinking about voting for him.”