Ickes, who heads the political action committee of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., said the endorsement was his alone and "does not reflect Sen. Clinton’s opinion."

While Ickes would not comment on the Clintons’ preferences, he is a close ally and would not be endorsing Dean against their strong objections. No one was immediately available in Sen. Clinton’s office to comment.

Ickes said Dean "has a real ability to communicate with people in leadership but also to grass-roots and average Americans. He understands the need for party-building."

Ickes’ endorsement comes at a critical time in the chairman’s race and gives Dean almost 50 of the more than 215 votes he would need to win the post.

The field could be narrowed in the next few days as state party chairs and organized labor offer their views on the race.

With Democrats out of power in the White House, Senate and House, the Democratic Party’s leadership role is especially important.

The candidates for Democratic chair are former presidential candidate Dean, former Texas Rep. Martin Frost, Democratic activists Donnie Fowler and Simon Rosenberg, former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, former Indiana Rep. Tim Roemer and former Ohio state chair David Leland.

The DNC election is set for Feb. 12.

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Editor's note: