Dean sets a record pace for cash

As Democratic presidential candidates compete for the "anti-Dean" mantle, the former Vermont governor is showing new signs of strength.

Despite weeks of intensified attacks from his rivals, and some unexpected twists in the race - including the addition of a prominent new candidate - Howard Dean still holds a 10-point lead in New Hampshire, and a slightly smaller lead in Iowa.

More striking, he's become the unequivocal leader in the race for cash. Over the past three months, Dr. Dean raised around $15 million, handily beating Bill Clinton's Democratic record of $10.3 million - and doubling or even tripling the take of his closest competitors.

The new fundraising figures come amid some recent developments that have given boosts to other candidates. Retired Gen. Wesley Clark's late entrance to the race brought a surge of media attention, and catapulted him to the top of some national polls. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts has come out with a string of prominent endorsements, including former presidential candidate Gary Hart, former New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California.

But in the measurements that matter most at this stage of the race, Dean is dominating - indicating what a challenge the rest of the field may face in trying to topple him.

"If you're ahead in Iowa, ahead in New Hampshire, and raising the most money, you're the front runner," says Charlie Cook, an independent political analyst. "This nomination is going to Howard Dean unless and until someone takes it away from him."

Of course, with more than three months to go before voters head to the polls, there's still plenty of time for the dynamics to change. Analysts point out that early polls can be unpredictable, and money doesn't necessarily translate into votes.

But it's also true that 13 of the past 14 major party nominations have gone to the candidate who won Iowa or New Hampshire or both. And 9 of the past 10 nominations have gone to the candidate who raised the most money in the year before the election.

Certainly, as the race enters its most intense phase - and the final fundraising quarter of the year - Dean's prowess both reflects and will likely add to his overall momentum.

For one thing, money will play an increasingly important role in the campaign in weeks to come, as candidates begin bulking up their field organizations and rolling out television ads in key primary states.

And significantly, Dean is the only candidate on the Democratic side who has greatly improved his cash intake from quarter to quarter. Most of the other candidates' fundraising has plateaued or even declined over the year: Sen. John Edwards, for example, who led the pack at the end of the first quarter with $7.4 million, was expected to come in toward the bottom of the field for the third quarter, with around $3 million.

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