Braun Drops Out of Race, Endorses Dean

Braun’s announcement came at an afternoon appearance with Dean in Carroll, Iowa, four days before voters in that state will attend caucuses to choose a Democratic nominee.

“Governor Dean has the energy to inspire the American people, to break the cocoon of fear that envelops us and empowers President Bush and his entourage from the extreme right wing,” Braun said. “And he has a program to put our country back on track to tax fairness, job creation, balanced budgets and an economy that works for everyone regardless of sex or race.”

The Braun campaign had reportedly struggled to raise money and had made a poor showing in most polls. On Tuesday, Braun won third place in Washington, D.C.’s non-binding primary with 12 percent of the vote.

“The funding and organizational disadvantages of a nontraditional campaign could not be overcome,” Braun said Thursday.

Braun and Dean had reportedly become friends during the course of the campaign. During a Jan. 12 debate focusing on issues important to minorities, Braun defended Dean after he was sharply criticized for not hiring any minorities to serve in his gubernatorial cabinet.

“Reverend Sharpton, the fact of the matter is you can always blow up a racial debate and make people mad at each other, but I think it’s time for us to talk about what are you going to do to bring people together, because this country cannot afford a racial screaming match,” Braun said.

On Thursday Dean called Braun an “extraordinary, classy person” and said he would miss her presence at the debates.

Braun, the only woman in the field of potential nominees, had previously said she wanted to “take the ‘Men Only’ sign off the White House door” and open the way for more women and minority candidates.

“When women run, when people of color run, we open up the possibility that women and people of color can win,” she said Thursday.

Braun served one term in the Senate from 1992 to 1998 and was later appointed ambassador to New Zealand and later Samoa by President Bill Clinton.

While on Capitol Hill, Braun worked on welfare reform, education, farming issues and served on the Banking, Judiciary and Finance committees.

Controversy followed Braun’s career as a lawmaker. She lost her bid for a second term in the Senate in the wake of alleged campaign finance improprieties and ties to the Nigerian dictator Gen. Sani Abacha.

A Federal Election Commission audit eventually revealed that her bookkeeping was disorganized and found only a small accounting mistake, and Braun admitted to using poor judgment in her relationship with Abacha.

On Thursday Braun urged her supporters to stand for Dean in Monday’s caucuses.

“I am happy to support him, and hope you will stand for him with the conviction and courage with which you would have stood for me,” Braun said. “I appreciate your continued support and look forward to dancing with you at the inaugural ball for Howard Dean this time next year.”

Braun will reportedly continue to work with the Dean campaign and make campaign appearances on behalf of the former governor.