Editors Note. Although these candidates officially launched their respective campaigns in September of 2003, they did make Presidential Exploratory Announcements by filing papers with the FEC.
Howard Dean Exploratory Committee 2002
John Kerry Exploratory Committee December 1, 2002
John Edwards Exploratory Committee January 4, 2003
Wesley Clark did wait until September of 2003 to declare his candidacy.
“But when there has been an incumbent president running in recent cycles, challengers have waited far longer to get into the race. In 2003, potential candidates spent months posturing in the invisible primary to take on Pres. Bush. Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D) officially jumped in on June 23, 2003, shortly before the MoveOn.org unofficial primary and six months from where we are in the current cycle. Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry (D), General Wesley Clark (D) and North Carolina Sen. John Edwards made their campaigns official just in time for the first Democratic debate on Sept. 26. “ By Chris Peleo-Lazar
Lengthy Invisible Primary Has Historical Precedence - Hotline On Call
