CAMPAIGN ’88 : Source Says Hart to Quit

Colorado Democratic Party Chairman Buie Seawell confirmed Thursday that former Sen. Gary Hart is dropping out of the presidential race.

“Yes, Gary is getting out of the race tomorrow,” Seawell told The Times in a telephone interview.

Hart scheduled a morning news conference today in Denver to make the announcement. Workers at his Denver campaign headquarters, including Hart’s daughter, Andrea, refused comment.

The former Colorado senator polled no more than 5% of the vote in the Super Tuesday primaries and won no convention delegates. The day after the primaries, the Federal Election Commission announced Hart no longer was eligible for further federal matching funds.

His departure will mark his second departure from the 1988 Democratic race.

At a highly charged news conference last May 8, a defiant Hart, at the time considered the Democratic front-runner, quit the race following published reports about his relationship with Miami model Donna Rice.

When he rejoined the race in December, Hart immediately shot to the top of the polls. But pollsters cautioned Hart’s numbers could be traced to name identification rather than support and early contests bore that out--Hart finished last in crucial early races in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Earlier this week, Seawell joined Gov. Roy Romer of Colorado in endorsing Gov. Michael S. Dukakis of Massachusetts. Both Seawell and Romer are former Hart supporters. The two said they considered Dukakis the most electable but would urge that Hart be given a key role in developing the party’s presidential platform.