John Edwards admitted to having an affair with Reille Hunter Friday, following growing interest spurred most recently by an early morning visit at the Beverly Hilton.

Edwards has admitted to lying about his affair with Reille Hunter, a 44-year old woman who helped Edwards produce videos for a political action committee. While many have speculated that Edwards fathered a child with Reille, an Edwards aide has since cleared the rumor, claiming the child is his. Edwards’ affair with Reille started well into Elizabeth Edwards’ battle with cancer.

Edwards was a presidential hopeful earlier this year, campaigning alongside senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Edwards left the race in January after doing poorly in the South Carolina primary. Edwards was also John Kerry’s running mate in the 2004 presidential election.

Edwards’ affair brings into question what exact roles he and his wife will have at the Democratic National convention later this August. John Edwards’ wife was scheduled to speak at the convention. It is still unclear whether those plans will remain unscathed.

Campaign officials and regular supporters alike are shocked by the Edwards’ affair. Most have found themselves angered by the confession, citing that the former senator has depleted much of the trust which many have instilled in him. David Bonoir, a campaign official, characterized Edwards’ confession as a form of “betrayal.” Bonoir painted a rather bleak outlook for Edwards’ future political prospects, citing his newly found lack of trust.