Dean and Gephardt Battle it out to the Political Death [View All]

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Analysis
Two See Iowa as Crucial Battleground
By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, November 29, 2003; Page A01

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/images/I20274-2003Nov28L


DES MOINES -- The state of Iowa always plays an outsize role in the presidential nomination process, but perhaps never more so than in 2004. An intensifying battle here between former Vermont governor Howard Dean and Rep. Richard A. Gephardt (Mo.) suggests that the first major contest in the Democratic race may also prove to be the most important.

Dean has never made a secret of his strategy for capturing the Democratic nomination: beat Gephardt in Iowa, beat Sen. John F. Kerry (Mass.) in New Hampshire and dare any of his opponents to stop him. In New Hampshire, he already holds a solid lead over Kerry, but in Iowa, Gephardt stands squarely in his path. A Gephardt victory on Jan. 19 could significantly complicate Dean's path to the nomination.

"It's pretty hard to construct a scenario where somebody gets started from a standing start in all these states that come after that," Gephardt said in an interview when asked about the chances of stopping Dean if he wins the first two big contests. "But it's a question that we don't need to ask, because I'm going to win Iowa."

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