Democrats' 2004 race opens wide

With Al Gore out of the 2004 presidential race, the field of potential Democratic contenders may have temporarily decreased by one - but before long, it's likely to get a lot more crowded.

For one thing, Mr. Gore's decision not to run clears a path for his former running mate, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, who has been laying the groundwork for a campaign of his own but had said he wouldn't run if Gore did. Monday, Mr. Lieberman said he is "very seriously" considering a run and would make an announcement in early January.

But the field is also left without an obvious front-runner, making the nomination fight among the remaining top candidates far more competitive, and even opening the door to a host of lesser-known picks. No contender is likely to have an overwhelming advantage in raising money or winning the support of party activists, say analysts, making it possible for a relatively large number of candidates to stick it out at least through the early round of primaries next year.

On one level, this could actually make things tougher for Democrats: Given that the eventual nominee is likely to face a difficult - and extremely expensive - fight against a popular president, a brutal, drawn-out primary battle could drain valuable resources and weaken the party.

But the boost Democrats gain from shedding the perceived baggage of Gore's 2000 loss could more than compensate. And over the next 12 months, the party has the opportunity to garner additional energy and buzz as they introduce a wide variety of "fresh faces" to the public.

"Democrats - and the rest of the country - will actually get to know a fair number of these candidates over the next year," says Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. "I don't know that that would have happened with Gore in the race. He was the black hole of media coverage, and there just wasn't very much light left for others. Now, they're all going to get their share."

For now, the likely field of Democratic contenders seems remarkably evenly matched. According to a recent survey of Democratic voters in New Hampshire, Iowa, and South Carolina - traditionally the states with the three earliest contests - the battle in each state becomes far more competitive without Gore. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts becomes the favorite in New Hampshire, Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri narrowly tops the list in Iowa, and South Carolina remains up for grabs. The number of undecided voters in all three states is high.

Senator Kerry, Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, and the Rev. Al Sharpton have already declared their candidacies, and a few others - including Lieberman, former House minority leader Gephardt, and Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina - are expected to follow shortly.

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