A crowd of Democrats.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Not altogether unexpectedly, the field of Democratic presidential candidates continues to grow. That's not a bad thing, because Democratic voters need a wide range of choices - which they now seem assured of getting.

The latest Democrat to formally enter the 2004 race is Al Sharpton of New York, an African American activist and minister, who will appeal to ultra-liberals and some minority voters. And former U.S. Sen. Gary Hart of Colorado, a one-time all-but-sure-thing nominee, has formed an "exploratory committee" to test the waters. If Hart enters the race, the field of would-be opponents for President Bush would number seven.

Hart's potential candidacy is intriguing. Now 65 and back in the public spotlight as co-chairman of the U.S. Commission on National Security, Hart came within a whisker of winning the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and was the front-runner in 1988. But before the '88 campaign even started, a sailboat sex scandal skewered both his candidacy and his chances of winning his party's nomination.

Hart left the race and, in 1987, the Senate. The 1988 Democratic nomination instead went to then-Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, who that fall lost to then-Vice President George H.W. Bush.

Besides Sharpton, the Democratic field now consists of U.S. Sens. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut (Al Gore's running mate in 2000), John Edwards of North Carolina and John Kerry of Massachusetts; U.S. Rep. and former House Democratic leader Dick Gephardt of Missouri, and Gov. Howard Dean of Vermont.

It's early for predictions, but at this point, the front-runner would be Lieberman. He was a good balance for the wooden Gore in 2000, his views on social issues will appeal to liberals and moderates and his pro-defense stands will make him attractive to conservatives and moderates. The fact that he's Jewish could energize a strong and traditionally Democratic constituency.

But the others in the race have strengths of their own. Edwards is from the South, a key region in general elections. Kerry's liberalism has been muted of late, but he'll appeal to a wide range of Democrats once he cranks up his campaign. Gephardt became well-known as the voice of the Democratic House minority in the wake of the 1994 Republican takeover of the chamber. As a governor, Dean can speak from experience about the problems facing states and local municipalities, and as a physician, he can present himself as an expert on health care policy.

All in all, it's a diverse field of entrants and a wide range of choices for Democratic voters. But stay tuned. The field could grow some more before the real politicking begins.