With their endorsement Monday of Howard Dean's bid for Democratic national chairman, red-state party leaders are seeking the resources that will allow them to compete.

Of the $400 million raised by the Democratic national committee for the 2004 election, Nebraska received $12,000, Democratic State Chairman Steve Achelpohl said.

"Now you know why Nancy Thompson and Matt Connealy had a hard time competing at the end," the Omaha attorney said.

Thompson was thumped by Republican Rep. Lee Terry in the 2nd District House race while Connealy lost to GOP nominee Jeff Fortenberry by an unexpectedly wide margin in the 1st District.

Nebraska is one of the so-called red states that cast their presidential votes for Bush.

Among Democratic state chairmen, "there are a lot of unhappy people like me who have been disappointed by the unconscionably small piece of the pie we've been  allocated," Achelpohl said.

"The future of the Democratic Party lies with strong and vibrant state parties," he suggested.

"The electoral map does not lie," he said.

Last November, President Bush won 31 of 50 states and Republicans added four senators and three House members to their congressional majorities.

Although Achelpohl declined to say whether he voted for Dean when the Association of State Democratic Chairmen endorsed him earlier in the day, Nebraska's chairman was clearly contented with the choice.

"Dean brings a lot to the table," Achelpohl said.  "He has demonstrated fund-raising ability, and time after time he has shown the ability to fire up young people."

The former 2004 presidential candidate also "hitched onto almost all, if not all, of our requirements" for a new national chairman, Achelpohl said.

Among the commitments sought by the state chairmen was annual distribution of a minimum of $200,000 in national party resources to each state party, he said. 

Dean won 56 votes from the state party leaders compared to 21 for Donnie Fowler, who had gained the endorsement of the organization's executive committee a day earlier. 

Fowler has worked in Democratic campaigns in more than a dozen states.

The Democratic national committee will elect a new party chairman on Feb. 12.

Democratic National Committeeman Vince Powers of Lincoln said he has remained uncommitted, but "nearly everyone who has spoken to me has asked me to vote for Dean."

What's important to him, Powers said, is a national party chairman who will recognize Democratic achievement in Nebraska when allocating party attention and resources.

Democrats have won 8 of the last 10 Senate races in Nebraska, he said.

"Strengthening the state parties is a central part of our plan to make the Democratic Party competitive in every race, in every district, in every state and territory," Dean has promised national committee members.

Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.