Staffing a Big Expense for Dean, Records Show

Presidential hopeful Howard Dean lived up to his campaign slogan “people-powered Howard” last year, making campaign staff and consultants one of his biggest expenses as he spent all but about $8.5 million of the record $41 million he raised.

Dean spent more than $6.5 million on staff salaries and related expenses and more than $2 million on consultants. Ads were another big cost, accounting for at least $7 million, and he spent at least $4.5 million on direct mail, campaign finance reports showed Saturday.

While other candidates focused on one or two early-voting states such as Iowa, New Hampshire or South Carolina, Dean advertised early and also established extensive get-out-the-vote operations in several states.

Last week, sources close to the campaign said Dean was down to about $5 million in cash after bills were paid. Dean is withholding staff salaries and has pulled ads in the seven states holding primaries on Tuesday. As Dean undertook broad campaign belt-tightening, there were hopeful signs for his fundraisers. The Internet contributors key to the Democratic record $41 million he collected last year continued giving. Dean raised roughly $1.5 million online in the last week, and at least $2.2 million from all fundraising sources since his Iowa loss Jan. 19, his campaign said.

The Democratic presidential candidates had kept their campaign balances secret, but all had to reveal them in year-end campaign finance reports due at the Federal Election Commission on Saturday.

Retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark raised about $14 million last year after entering the race in September, his report showed. He spent $10.4 million and had about $3 million on hand after bills as December ended.

Cash ran low for Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman and former Democratic hopeful Rep. Dick Gephardt as 2004 began. Lieberman raised about $14 million last year but had only about $350,000 more on hand than he owed, while Gephardt had about $450,000 more in the bank than he had in bills.

Gephardt abandoned his presidential bid after a poor showing in the Iowa caucuses.

Ohio Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich raised $6.4 million last year and reported starting the year with $2.6 million on hand. Three of the seven Democrats still in the race -- Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kerry, North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and the Rev. Al Sharpton -- had yet to file their reports by midevening Saturday.