Dean drops out of DNC chairmanship race

© Provided by The Hill Dean drops out of DNC chairmanship race

DENVER - Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean dropped out of the race to become the next chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Friday.

Dean, who served as DNC chairman from 2005 to 2009, announced in a pre-recorded video to a conference of state Democratic chairs that he would step aside to allow for a new face to lead the party as it seeks to rebuild.

That reduces the field of candidates to three.

The front-runner is Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), who has racked up endorsements from Washington lawmakers and national labor unions.

South Carolina Democratic chairman Jaime Harrison and New Hampshire chairman Ray Buckley are also in the race.

President Obama's allies are trying to recruit Labor secretary Tom Perez for the role, and NARAL president Ilyse Hogue is also considering getting in.

Dean did not say who he would support.

But he said the chairmanship must be a full-time job, a hurdle to Ellison's bid.

"I know this job better than anyone in this room," Dean said. "It requires 80 hours of work a week and constant travel across the country to fundraise ... this is a full-time job."

Dean also said the fight to be the next chairman can not develop into a proxy war between supporters of Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

Ellison is backed by Sanders, while Buckley and Harrison were Clinton supporters.