WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- The U.S. Democratic leadership and the top two campaigns pursuing the Democratic presidential nomination Wednesday commended Howard Dean for his campaign.
Dean announced he was dropping his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination after finishing in a distant third in Tuesday's Wisconsin primary. Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and John Edwards, D-N.C., finished first and second, respectively, in the contest.
Dean's campaign "has had a positive impact on the Democratic Party, bringing an incredible energy to the presidential primary process and empowering thousands of new voters to participate in the party," Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McCauliffe said in a statement.
In separate statements, Kerry said the former Vermont governor "truly helped redefine 'grassroots politics' in the 21st century by harnessing the power of the Internet," while Edwards said, "Howard Dean has brought so much to this race -- not just his ideas and passion for change, but hundreds of thousands of Americans who had never participated in a campaign before."
Dean's departure narrows the field to four: Kerry, Edwards, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, and New York activist Al Sharpton.
