Howard Dean, Democratic Party national chairman, in town to raise money for the state party, acknowledges a standing ovation before his speech at the Temple of Music and Art Thursday.

james s. wood / Arizona Daily Star

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Local Democrats held a pep rally Thursday night, and Howard Dean was captain of the football team.

The former presidential candidate turned Democratic Party national chairman visited Tucson to rally the party's base — but most importantly, to raise cash. That cash will be used to "beat their butts in November," Dean said of Republicans during his speech at the Temple of Music and Art.

Specifically, Dean predicted that voters will decide to "split Arizona's congressional delegation in half," meaning four of the state's eight U.S. representatives and one of the two senators will be Democrats.

Dean's visit comes as Demo-crats remain excited about the possibility of winning back one or both houses of Congress this November. Most polls show public approval of Congress around 25 percent to 30 percent. President Bush has also found himself facing low approval ratings, which Democrats hope will strengthen their chances of beating Republican incumbents.

In Arizona, those political realities are playing out, with several high-profile and competitive races.

However, this particular get-together wasn't designed to change any minds. Dean was joined on stage with a slew of Democrats, from City Council members to state legislators. The crowd was made up of many local Democratic congressional and legislative candidates and party activists covered with political pins and stickers.

At the beginning Dean promised to "have some fun at the president's expense."

And have fun he did, rallying the crowd with the party's positions on issues such as health care and foreign policy.

But later Dean said that for Democrats to win it's going to take more than talking to each other.

"If we're really going to win, it's not going to be in here," he said, encouraging the crowd to talk to their neighbors about issues.

Dean told the crowd to embrace new ideas, like talking to evangelical Christians and recruiting racial-minority candidates.

"We've got to be the party of change, not looking back at the '60s and '70s, which were the golden years of the Democratic Party," he said.

He also took time to plug Arizona candidates and mention specific races, like the campaign to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe. But Dean caught himself in a pickle when he talked about Arizona's next "congresswoman" when referring to the race for Kolbe's seat, in which three women and three men are running as Democrats.

Whoops. "Congressperson," he said, correcting himself. "I'm neutral."

There were a few empty spots in the 650-seat auditorium, but at $20 a pop, the event stood to raise close to $13,000, not including other donations people were asked to make to the state Democratic Party. For those who wanted a little more one-on-one time, there was a $1,000-a-head get-together down the street at a private home afterward.

Having a superstar party chairman like Dean means it's easy to draw faithful crowds willing to donate time and money. It also means — especially with a figure like Dean, who has been attacked by conservatives for being too liberal — that events are bound to draw opposition.

Outside, a small group of conservative protesters picketed, yelling "Viva Dick Cheney" and "Viva Jon Kyl."

J.D. Schechter, 60, was among them.

"I feel that Howard Dean represents all that is worst about what used to be a party that had alternative ideas," said Schechter, a Republican.

Inside, however, folks like 69-year-old retiree Marge Swien were on cloud nine.

"I'm wildly enthusiastic," said Swien, who supported Dean for president in 2004. "As far as I'm concerned nobody can be too liberal. Liberal means educated. Liberal means a tempered view. I do not accept the Republican view of the term liberal."