Howard Dean update

Dean to Democrats: Campaign Nationwide
By Nedra Pickler
The Associated Press

Monday 06 December 2004

Washington - Howard Dean, who is weighing a bid for leadership of the Democratic Party, will call on Democrats to fight for victory across the country instead of ceding wide swaths of the South and West to Republicans.

When he was the front-runner in the Democratic presidential race last year, Dean pledged that he would campaign in Republican strongholds. But he was defeated in the Democratic primary before he could test the strategy.

Now Dean is one of at least seven candidates who is considering whether to run for chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee. On Monday, Dean was meeting with Democratic leaders in Congress.

Dean spokeswoman Laura Gross said while other Democrats are talking about whether the party needs to move farther to the left or the right to attract voters, Dean plans to focus on the need for "destination, not direction" during an address at George Washington University on Wednesday.

Gross said even if Dean decides against running for DNC chairman, the former Vermont governor intends to work for his vision within the party. After dropping out of the presidential race, Dean started Democracy for America, which raised $5 million in nine months and helped fund 748 candidates in 46 states at every level of government.