http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050106/ap_on_go_co/democrats_mcauliffe&cid=512&ncid=2043By WILL LESTER, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - Senior Democrats are trying to persuade national Chairman Terry McAuliffe to continue as party chairman, especially if none of the current candidates gains momentum in the race to succeed him.
The job will be filled in February when the Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) holds its winter meetings.
In a meeting Wednesday with several Democratic senators, McAuliffe against was asked to consider serving for an additional year or two, Democrats say. McAuliffe's response was not immediately known; he has been cool to such overtures in the past.
Among those reportedly at the session were Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record) of New York.
"Terry McAuliffe has been a great chair and he could continue that," Schumer said Wednesday. "The bottom line is that Democrats have a lot of good candidates to lead us."
None of the early candidates for chairman has gained momentum. Some potential candidates — Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, Democratic activist Harold Ickes and former Labor Secretary Alexis Herman — have dropped out.
The Association of State Democratic Chairs is seeking a full-time chairman who will work from the party's headquarters and pledge not to run for office during the four-year term. The state leaders also want the national party to coordinate all fund-raising efforts with the state parties and continue to develop an online base of small donors.
Democratic Party spokesman Jano Cabrera said McAuliffe appreciates the request to stay on but is concentrating on passing along an modern and debt-free national party to a new leader.
Possible successors include former Texas Rep. Martin Frost (news, bio, voting record), former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, Democratic strategist Donnie Fowler and Simon Rosenberg, head of the New Democrat Network.
Rosenberg, who announced his bid Thursday, highlighted his raising of millions of dollars for the centrist group and coordinating an ambitious Hispanic media campaign in 2004.
He urged Democrats to "imagine a party that is talking to America not just in English, but in Spanish — and sees the exurbs, the South and rural America not as places to run from, but as places in which to run and win."
Others who have been considering a bid include former presidential candidate Howard Dean (news - web sites), former Indiana Rep. Tim Roemer, former Michigan Gov. Jim Blanchard and former Texas state chairwoman Molly Beth Malcolm.
Democratic governors are watching the contest closely and will send representatives to several regional Democratic meetings where candidates will make their pitch, including a session this weekend in Atlanta.
"Right now, the governors are interested in the concept of an outside-the-beltway candidate and we still have not coalesced around any one candidate," said New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, head of the Democratic Governors Association.
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