Democrats Losing Race For Funds Under Dean

Dean took over as DNC chairman with a background different from that of most of his predecessors. He succeeded Terence R. McAuliffe, who began as a fundraiser in his early twenties and had known many major donors for two decades.

In his presidential campaign, Dean drew cheers from activists for his sharp criticisms of what he described as an accommodationist party establishment, too beholden to Washington interests.

Dean's first eight months at the committee have also been marked by the departure of several members of the fundraising staff, including finance director -- and longtime Dean loyalist -- Lindsay Lewis, who resigned in late September and has yet to be replaced.

DNC sources said the post will be filled by the end of the month and point out that Joseph "Jody" Trapasso, a longtime party fundraiser, has stepped in.

Several Washington Democrats not favorably inclined toward Dean said the party was willing to gamble on his "potential for hoof in mouth disease" -- in the words of one lobbyist -- because of the unexpected fundraising prowess he showed in the 2004 race.

Dean, a virtual unknown nationally when the race began, shocked the political world with his ability to raise dollars over the Internet -- a fundraising medium that had not been fully tapped before his campaign. Dean raised about $20 million online in the primary season -- about 40 percent of the more than $50 million he raised for his entire campaign. Using techniques pioneered by Dean, Kerry raised more than $80 million online in last year's general election campaign.

So far, the DNC's Internet sums pale in comparison, but Finney said a turnaround is underway. In the past six weeks, the party has raised $845,000 from e-mail and Web donations; slightly more than half came from an e-mail appeal sent in conjunction with the indictment of former House majority leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.).

One Democrat with close ties to Dean and the DNC said that expectations were unfairly high for the governor's ability to raise dollars through the Internet. "It is a very different process to raise money for a presidential campaign than it is for a party committee," said the veteran fundraiser, who talked candidly about DNC finances on the condition of anonymity. "Donors are a little skeptical that the DNC is a good investment."

As some see it, Dean's larger problem is with the care and feeding of wealthy contributors, people capable of giving the maximum $26,700 allowed annually under federal law. Bob Farmer, a past DNC finance chairman, said that "where the chairman can make an impact is with the big donors and the big fundraisers."

Dean does not enjoy long relationships with these people and remains uncomfortable asking for a significant contribution after just meeting a donor, said party operatives familiar with his style. One high-dollar donor in the Washington area said the outreach by Dean has been woeful: "The only explanation I can fathom for the virtual total lack of quality communications is they are still in the process of figuring things out in terms of who their major donor list is."

Dean could not be reached for comment last night.

A source close to the DNC agreed that the high-dollar donor program needed to be "stepped up" and that since September it has been. In the past two months, Dean has spent at least six days in New York meeting with affluent givers either one on one or in small-group settings (15 or fewer donors). He has done similar meetings in Los Angeles and San Francisco, with plans to go to South Florida.

The sessions will pay dividends in the coming months, said a Dean loyalist: "These guys have to date for a while before you can ask them for money."

Cillizza is a staff writer for washingtonpost.com.