Following the 2004 U.S. presidential election, some Democratic Party insiders wanted Terry McAuliffe to remain DNC chair.

[1] Howard Dean, a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for president in 2004, announced his bid to become DNC chair on January 11.

[2] Other candidates to declare included Former U.S. Representative Tim Roemer of Indiana,[3] former Al Gore and John Kerry staffer Donnie Fowler, Mayor of Denver Wellington Webb, New Democrat Network founder Simon Rosenberg, Former U.S. Representative Martin Frost of Texas, and Ohio Democratic Party Chair David J.

[4] Kate Michelman almost ran due to Roemer's anti-abortion stance, but she opted not to run.

[7] Dean became the front-runner in the race, though Roemer received the endorsements of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Party leaders in the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives, respectively.