Kerry Is Donating $1 Million to the DNC

Sen. John F. Kerry is contributing $1 million to the Democratic National Committee to support efforts by the next chairman, Howard Dean, to build grass-roots support for the party at the state level.

“Join me with a contribution of your own to show the incoming DNC chair that you want to support organizing in your own community,” Kerry wrote in an e-mail to about 3 million supporters.

“A new DNC chair will be elected at the end of this week,” Kerry wrote of his onetime political rival. “Let’s make sure he has everything he needs to start strong.”

Kerry said Democrats needed to have strong organizations at the state, local and precinct levels. Republicans were very effective at grass-roots organizing in the last election.

“We’ve thanked John Kerry for his service and leadership and today we thank him for his generosity,” said Terry McAuliffe, the current party chairman.

Kerry, the party’s presidential nominee in 2004, and Dean were fierce adversaries early in the campaign when Dean was the front-runner. After Kerry won early caucuses and primaries, Dean dropped out and campaigned for Kerry, raising money for him using his extensive e-mail list of donors.

Soon after the November election, Democratic officials learned Kerry had more than $15 million left from his campaign account. After transfers to pay legal expenses and primary season bills, Kerry was expected to have nearly $10 million in his primary campaign account.

Kerry since has given $1 million to the Democrats’ Senate campaign committee, paid more than $250,000 to help pay for the successful recount effort for Christine Gregoire in the Washington governor’s race and donated money to help Louisiana Democrats in special elections to the House.

The remaining money in Kerry’s account could be used to mount a bid for the presidency in 2008, but aides said they were not sure about the exact amount because bills were still being paid.

Kerry donated more than $32 million to the DNC in 2004, including $9 million targeted to state parties.