DNC CHAIR RACE: DEAN GAINS MAJOR ENDORSEMENT

From Monday's New York Times:

By ADAM NAGOURNEY
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31-The Association of State Democratic Chairs endorsed Howard Dean on Monday to become the next national Democratic chairman, bucking its own executive board and providing that once sharp critic of the party an establishment stamp of approval as he surged ahead in the contest.

Within hours of the vote, one of the other seven candidates, Wellington Webb, withdrew and endorsed Dr. Dean, citing his overwhelming number of votes.

"With the endorsement from the state chairs, it became mathematically clear that Howard Dean has the votes to win on the first ballot," Mr. Webb, a former mayor of Denver, said.

The combination of the decisive endorsement and Mr. Webb's withdrawal created a sense among many Democrats that Dr. Dean's election on Feb. 12 was becoming close to a sure thing. Democrats said that at this point, two candidates could still emerge to stop Dr. Dean: Donnie Fowler Jr. of South Carolina and former Representative Martin Frost of Texas.

"The train is leaving the station, and we hope to get everybody aboard," a strategist for Dr. Dean, Steve McMahon, said. "It looks like it's starting to break open. But we're not taking anything for granted."

Mark Brewer, the Michigan Democratic leader who heads the state association, described its vote as a potentially decisive event in settling out the crowded field.

"He's taken a giant step toward becoming the next D.N.C. chair," Mr. Brewer said. "Now that you have a nationwide group of experienced party leaders saying, 'We think he is the best qualified,' I think that will have an enormous impact on other D.N.C. members."

In a vote on Sunday, the executive board of the association recommended that the entire association support Mr. Fowler. But in a 90-minute conference call on Monday, the state leaders voted not only to rebuff the board, but also with a margin that stunned Mr. Fowler's supporters : 56 votes for Dr. Dean to 21 for Mr. Fowler.

Mr. Frost and Mr. Webb drew five votes each. Two others, former Representative Timothy J. Roemer of Indiana and Simon Rosenberg, head of the moderate New Democratic Network, drew three votes each, a showing that several Democrats said signaled the effective ends of their campaigns, though aides to both candidates said they would not quit.

"All of those who are dreading a Howard Dean chairmanship must speak up now or forever hold their peace," a spokesman for Mr. Roemer, Rubin Pulido Jr., said. "The fact is, a majority of the 447 members are still up for grabs. Until these people vote, we're going to keep fighting."

The vote was taken after the candidates appeared at five forums before state leaders.

Mr. Fowler's aides noted that even with what they acknowledged was a disappointing showing, Mr. Fowler was still significantly ahead of his other rivals, arguing that the state leaders had set up what they had long wanted, a two-way contest with Dr. Dean.

"The A.S.D.C. full body sent a clear message by narrowing the race to the two finalists we now have," Mr. Fowler said. "They want change, not more of the same."

Dr. Dean's associates disputed that, noting that Dr. Dean had defeated Mr. Fowler by nearly three to one and, perhaps more significant, had broken the 50 percent margin. The next chairman has to win a clear majority of the vote on Feb. 12, and Dr. Dean's opponents had held out hope that opposition to Dr. Dean would prevent him from breaking that barrier.

Mr. Frost's advisers said they hoped that Mr. Frost might help his candidacy by winning support from unions that meet on Tuesday to discuss what, if anything, to do.

Several Democrats argued that the single-digit showing by Mr. Frost, a former head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, would make it much less likely that any unions would jump onto his ship.

Indeed, there were signs that Dr. Dean was making gains with labor, as well. A spokeswoman for the American Federation of Teachers, Janet Bass, said although her union had not formally endorsed Dr. Dean, a majority of the 13 union members who will vote on Feb. 12 support him, including Randi Weingarten, president of the New York City teachers' union.

This comes on the heels a couple of weeks ago that Florida's DNC members voted to support Dr. Dean as the new Democratic Party chairman in that Feb. 12 vote.