Frist is the second big one to fall after Mark warner. This should really be interesting to see how conservatives vote. The race will be Romney, McCain, and Giuliani. The moderate vote will be split and Romney wins the primary.
According to the AP
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist will not run for president in 2008, Republican officials said Wednesday, as the field of White House contenders continued to shrink more than a year before the first convention delegates are chosen.
In a written statement released today, Frist says, "In the Bible, God tells us for everything there is a season, and for me, for now, this season of being an elected official has come to a close. I do not intend to run for president in 2008."
The decision by the Tennessee senator leaves Sen. John McCain of Arizona, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani as the most nationally prominent contenders for the Republican nomination.
Other potential GOP contenders include Sens. Sam Brownback of Kansas and Charles Hagel of Nebraska, Gov. George Pataki of New York and Rep. Duncan Hunter of California.
For more than a year, Frist has been under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding allegations of insider trading in connection with the sale of shares in HCA Inc., a hospital chain and health company his father and brother founded. Frist has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, although he has not gained the quick resolution of the issue that he had hoped for.