Howard Dean

Howard Dean
Dean in 2016
Chair of the Democratic National Committee
In office February 12, 2005 – January 21, 2009
Preceded by	Terry McAuliffe
Succeeded by	Tim Kaine
79th Governor of Vermont
In office August 13, 1991 – January 8, 2003
Lieutenant	Barbara Snelling Doug Racine
Preceded by	Richard Snelling
Succeeded by	Jim Douglas
Chair of the National Governors Association
In office July 19, 1994 – August 1, 1995
Preceded by	Carroll A. Campbell Jr.
Succeeded by	Tommy Thompson
77th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
In office January 3, 1987 – August 13, 1991
Governor	Madeleine Kunin Richard Snelling
Preceded by	Peter Smith
Succeeded by	Barbara Snelling
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from the Chittenden 7-4 district
In office 1983–1987
Preceded by	None (Newly created district)
Succeeded by	Bennett Truman
Personal details
Born	Howard Brush Dean III (1948-11-17) November 17, 1948 (age 75) East Hampton, New York, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Judith Steinberg ​ (m. 1981)​
Children	2
Education	Yale University (BA) Yeshiva University (MD)
Signature

Howard Brush Dean III (born November 17, 1948) is an American physician, author, consultant, and retired politician who served as the 79th governor of Vermont from 1991 to 2003 and chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) from 2005 to 2009.^[1] Dean was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 2004 presidential election. Later, his implementation of the fifty-state strategy as head of the DNC is credited with the Democratic victories in the 2006 and 2008 elections. Afterward, he became a political commentator and consultant to McKenna Long & Aldridge, a law and lobbying firm.

Before entering politics, Dean earned his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1978. Dean served as a member of the Vermont House of Representatives from 1983 to 1986 and as Lieutenant Governor of Vermont from 1987 to 1991. Both were part-time positions that enabled him to continue practicing medicine. In 1991, Dean became governor of Vermont when Richard A. Snelling died in office. Dean was subsequently elected to five two-year terms, serving from 1991 to 2003, making him the longest-serving governor in the history of the state of Vermont.^[a] Dean served as chairman of the National Governors Association from 1994 to 1995; during his term, Vermont paid off much of its public debt and had a balanced budget 11 times, lowering income taxes twice. Dean also oversaw the expansion of the "Dr. Dynasaur" program, which ensures universal health care for children and pregnant women in the state. He is a noted staunch supporter of universal health care.^[2][3][4][5]

Dean denounced the 2003 invasion of Iraq and called on Democrats to oppose the Bush administration. In the 2004 election, initially seen as a long-shot candidate, Dean pioneered Internet-based fundraising and grassroots organizing, which is centered on mass appeal to small donors which is more cost efficient than the more expensive contacting of fewer potential larger donors, and promotes active participatory democracy among the general public.^[6] As a result of his unconventional strategy, he became the top fundraiser and front runner for the Democratic Party presidential nomination. Dean had a disappointing third-place finish in the Iowa caucus, and his campaign suffered after negative reactions in the media to a hoarse "Yeah" that he shouted after enumerating states that he hoped to win and ending up losing the nomination to Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts. In 2004, Dean founded Democracy for America, a progressive political action committee. He was later elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee in February 2005. As chairman of the party, Dean created and employed the fifty-state strategy that attempted to make Democrats competitive in normally conservative states often dismissed in the past as "solid red". The success of the strategy became apparent during the 2006 midterm elections, where Democrats took back control of the House and Senate, winning Senate seats from normally Republican states such as Missouri and Montana. In the 2008 election, the Democrats increased their House and Senate majorities, while Barack Obama used the 50 state strategy as the backbone of his successful presidential candidacy.

Dean was named chairman emeritus of the DNC upon his retirement in January 2009.^[7] Since retiring from the DNC chairman position, Dean has held neither elected office nor an official position in the Democratic Party and, as of 2015^[update], was working for global law firm Dentons as part of the firm's public policy and regulation practice.^[8] In 2013, Dean expressed interest in running for the presidency in 2016,^[9] but instead supported former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's run for president.^[10]

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