State Sen. Lou D'Allesandro (D-Manchester), a close friend of Elizabeth Edwards, says he is "deeply saddened" to learn the news that former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards has admitted an affair in an interview with ABC News.

D'Allesandro told PolitickerNH.com that he considers Elizabeth Edwards a "close, personal friend" and extends his sympathies to the family.

"I have great affection for Elizabeth Edwards and I consider her a close personal friend," D'Allesandro said. "I'm deeply saddened by this news and my sympathies goes out to the Edwards family and her children."

Upon the release of her memoir Elizabeth Edwards visited the Granite State and campaigned for D'Allesandro's state senate campaign in September 2006.  In 2004, D'Allesandro supported Edwards' presidential run but decided to support U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) during the 2008 primary.

"No one in this life is perfect and John is a good guy, I supported him in 2004 but decided not to this time around mainly because of issues around campaigning," he said. "This is a terrible tragedy and everyone has good luck and bad luck and recently they have had a string of bad luck."

D'Allesandro added that Edwards would deal with the news in her "own way."

"We all take care of these things in our own way and she'll deal with this in her own way."

Update: “It’s horrible to be disappointed and saddened, but it isn’t about me, it’s about her (Elizabeth Edwards), it’s about an American political family and what it’s going to do to them," state Sen. Peter Burling (D-Cornish) told The Union Leader.