U.S. Rep. Dick Gephardt and his supporters began some serious
thinking about the politician’s future yesterday after the
candidate officially dropped out of the race for the 2004
Democratic presidential nomination.

The Missourian representative, who was in a tight race in the
Iowa caucuses with former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean only two weeks
ago, finished fourth with only 11 percent of the delegates in Iowa
Monday night. Gephardt confirmed he would from Congress at the end
of this year after serving 28 years and holding the House minority
leader position from 1995 to 2003.

Dean, who finished third with 18 percent of Iowa votes, may have
been hurt by his opponents’ negative ads and the revelation
of remarks made four years ago by the governor in which he claimed
the Iowa caucuses were dominated by special interests.

Kerry finished first in the caucuses with 38 percent of the
vote. David DiMartino, press secretary for Sen. John Kerry’s
campaign, said voters made last minute decisions.

“A lot of people made up their minds late,” he
said.

A Reuters/MSNBC/Zogby poll from last Thursday showed Kerry, Sen.
John Edwards, Gephardt and Dean in a statistical dead heat in
Iowa.

“Polling for caucuses is notoriously inaccurate,”
DiMartino said.

A Washington Post entrance poll taken at Iowa caucus sites
Monday showed Kerry leading among voters aged 18 to 29, among
first-time caucus-goers, union members and voters who strongly
valued experience. Kerry won these groups despite Dean’s
youth appeal and Gephardt’s congressional experience and
consistent union advocacy.

“John Kerry did well among almost every demographic
breakdown,” DiMartino said. “This speaks to his broad
appeal.”

Gephardt competed for union support. Dean received key
endorsements from unions such as the International Union of
Painters and Allied Trades, the American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employees and the Service Employees
International Union.

But Gephardt remained confident 24 hours before the caucuses
began.

“I’m more optimistic this time around because
we’ve done a better job running states other than
Iowa,” Gephardt said after a speech Sunday at the Savery
Renaissance Hotel in Des Moines.

Gephardt did not make it clear yesterday if he would endorse a
candidate before the Democratic National Convention in July.

“My sense is it’s all very fluid right now. I think
people will pause before they jump on another campaign,” said
former U.S. Rep. David Bonior, who chaired Gephardt’s
campaign in Michigan.

Gephardt supporters are also unsure about which candidate they
might eventually support.

“Dick Gephardt, ever since I was young, has inspired in me
an interest in politics,” said D.C. resident John Butler.
Butler hinted at who he will lend his vote to.

“Edwards is a very influential candidate,” he
said.

Edwards gained momentum when the Des Moines Register,
Iowa’s largest paper, endorsed him last week. The senator
also benefited from a last minute deal with Rep. Dennis
Kucinich’s campaign. In precincts where Kucinich supporters
did not comprise 15 percent of voters present, they backed
Edwards.

“Kerry and Edwards, they really plugged along. They kept
beautiful, positive messages,” said Gerhardt Yaskow,
residential developer from Buffalo, New York. After
Gephardt’s exit, Yaskow, a Gephardt supporter, said,
“It’s a no-brainer, we’re going to go to
Edwards.”

DiMartino said he was not surprised by Monday’s
results.

“We knew that momentum was building for weeks,” he
said. “We had a very aggressive outreach campaign for Iowa
veterans. There are a lot in Iowa. They were a critical component
for our victory in Iowa.”

Kerry, a Vietnam veteran, is mounting similar veteran outreach
programs across the country. Monday’s surprise victory could
help him with the rapidly approaching primaries.

“As far as the electoral math, (Iowa) may not be very
significant, but it shifts the focus to Kerry,” DiMartino
said. “You have to do well early to stay viable later
on.” He added that Kerry raised $300,000 within 24 hours
after the victory.

“We have an aggressive plan for Michigan, including
aggressive online voter registration,” he added.