By Jonathan Finer and William Branigin
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, February 18, 2004; 4:11 PM

BURLINGTON, Vt., Feb. 18 -- Howard Dean formally abandoned his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination Wednesday but vowed that his organization is "not going away" and would continue to seek change in the Democratic Party and the nation with the aim of defeating President Bush in the November election.

The former front-runner in the race for the nomination did not immediately endorse any of the remaining candidates, and he left open the shape of what he said would be a new initiative to be launched in the coming weeks.

He indicated he would not act to have his name removed from the ballot in upcoming Democratic primaries and caucuses, in which he suggested that supporters should continue to vote for him to ensure sending "progressive delegates" to the Democratic National Convention in Boston in July.

"I am no longer actively pursuing the presidency," Dean told about 250 supporters in a hotel ballroom here. "We will, however, continue to build a new organization using our enormous grass-roots network to continue to transform the Democratic Party and to change our country."

Dean, 55, the former governor of Vermont, called on supporters to "keep active" in the primaries and "fight on in the caucuses."

In suggesting that he wants supporters to keep voting for him in the upcoming contests, Dean said, "Sending delegates to the convention only continues to energize our party. . . . We are on the ballots. Use your network to send progressive delegates to the convention in Boston. We are not going away. We are staying together, unified, all of us."

The message was not lost on Robert Bristow-Johnson, 48, of Burlington, an electrical engineer who said he has been a volunteer for Dean for a year. He said he interpreted Dean's words as an appeal for continued support in the contests to come and that he planned to vote for Dean in the Vermont primary on March 2.

Of the formal end of Dean's active campaigning, Bristow-Johnson said, "It's definitely bitter. I wouldn't call it bittersweet. We're very thankful that Governor Dean did what he did. And we will go on working towards his goals."

Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts, who emerged as the Democrats' front-runner a month ago, said Dean "has done an extraordinary job of invigorating a whole group of people who were divorced from the political process," the Reuters news agency reported. "Whatever happens, it's impossible not to express general admiration and respect for the campaign he's put together and what he's achieved."

Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, Kerry's leading challenger, said in a statement that 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." He said he shares Dean's belief "that special interests and Washington lobbyists have taken over our government."

Edwards said he hopes Dean "continues to offer his ideas, and encourages millions more to participate in this democracy so we win back the White House in November."

In his speech, Dean said his campaign, Dean for America, "will be converted into a new grass roots organization" and that "we are determined to keep this entire organization as vibrant as it has been."

He added, "I will not run as an independent or third-party candidate," and he urged his backers not to support such a candidate.

But he also suggested that his supporters should pressure the eventual Democratic nominee to adhere to the basic tenets of his campaign.

"So we will continue to fight," Dean said. "This is the end of phase one of this fight, but the fight will go on. We will continue to bring our message of hope and change to the American people. . . . We will continue to stand up against the divisive policies of the far right."

In a statement posted on his campaign Web site before he delivered his campaign farewell speech, Dean thanked supporters for helping to build "the greatest grassroots campaign presidential politics has ever seen." The statement announced: "In the coming weeks, we will be launching a new initiative to continue the campaign you helped begin. . . . There is much work still to be done, and today is not an end -- it is just the beginning."

Dean said in the statement that his campaign has promoted change, but added: "The truth is: change is tough. There is enormous institutional pressure in our country against change. There is enormous institutional pressure in Washington against change, in the Democratic Party against change. Yet, you have already started to change the party and together we have transformed this race."

Dean announced the end of his active campaign for the party's presidential nomination a day after getting drubbed in the Wisconsin primary, finishing a distant third in a state that he had targeted as pivotal for resuscitating a gasping campaign.

It was his 17th straight loss in primaries and caucuses across the country since winning a largely symbolic, nonbinding primary in Washington, D.C., that most of the other candidates skipped.

The announcement sealed a dramatic fall from grace for Dean after having soared to the summit of the party's heap of candidates, largely on the strength of a grass-roots campaign that used the Internet to help raise more than $40 million last year. But a dismal third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 19 spelled the end of Dean's front-runner status, and he never came close to reclaiming it from Kerry, the new leader of the pack.

Kerry won Tuesday's Wisconsin primary with 40 percent of the vote, but Edwards rode a late surge of support from previously undecided voters to finish a surprisingly strong second, with 34 percent. Dean followed with 18 percent, Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich oh Ohio had 3 percent and New York activist Al Sharpton 2 percent.

The results made the campaign essentially a two-man race and focused attention on the March 2 "Super Tuesday" primaries in 10 states, notably delegate-rich California, New York and Ohio.

With his victory in Wisconsin, Kerry now has 608 pledged delegates, about 28 percent of the 2,162 he needs to win the nomination at the Democratic National Convention. Dean has a total of 201 delegates, followed by Edwards with 201, the Reuters news agency reported.

Dean has said publicly that he believes Edwards poses a more formidable challenge to Bush than does Kerry. Tuesday night, Dean talked with Edwards, prompting speculation that Dean might endorse the North Carolinian.

Edwards said on morning news programs that the conversation was "typical" and did not include a discussion of Dean's plans.

"[I]f he chooses not to go forward, of course I'd want his support," Edwards said on the CBS "Early Show" today before Dean's announcement. ". . . Some of the things that he's been fighting for are very similar to some of the things that I've been fighting for. Both of us believe Washington has to change."

Branigin reported from Washington. Staff writer Fred Barbash contributed to this report.