Others with hats in the ring include former Senator John Edwards, former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and Representative Dennis Kucinich.

NPR: Presidential Race Comes Early to Primary States

He has worked closely with other party-builders on Capitol Hill, particularly Dennis Hastert and Tom DeLay in the House and Bill Frist in the Senate.

ECONOMIST: Lexington

Attending the meeting were Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tennessee, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-South Dakota, Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas, and Minority Whip Nancy Pelosi, D-California.

CNN: Bush cites 'progress' in war

Ford's marriage breakdown follows other much publicised Hollywood divorces, including those of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman and Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan.

BBC: Harrison Ford separates from wife

House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas, and House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, had asked Watts to stay.

CNN: Watts announces no fifth-term bid

John Edwards of North Carolina, the party's 2004 vice presidential nominee, declared his candidacy late last year, as did Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, a liberal critic of the war in Iraq, and Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack.

CNN: Obama to form panel to explore presidential bid