BURLINGTON, Vt. -- He went zero-for-17 in the nation's primaries and caucuses -- and Howard Dean has had enough.

Dean, the one-time front-runner for the Democratic nomination, formally ended his presidential campaign Wednesday after another disappointing primary finish, this time in Wisconsin.

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"I am no longer actively pursuing the presidency," the former Vermont governor told vocal supporters in Burlington.

Dean called on his supporters to continue their fight to change the country and the Democratic Party.

"This is the end of Phase 1 of that fight, and the fight will go on," Dean said.

Meanwhile, Democratic frontrunner John Kerry says he doesn't hold a grudge for anything Dean said about him during the campaign. For one thing, Dean has referred to Kerry as the "hand maiden of special interests."

But Kerry said Wednesday he has great respect for Dean's ability to bring disaffected voters back into politics.

As he pulled out of the race, Dean didn't endorse either of his major rivals -- though he has suggested that John Edwards would make a better candidate than Kerry.

Dean's departure from the race was expected by many experts and was urged by Dean's own aides if he didn't win Wisconsin, where he spent more time than any other candidate. Dean finished a distant third in Wisconsin, behind front-runner Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, and Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, who finished a close second.

Dean, who early on grabbed high-profile endorsements from Al Gore and Bill Bradley, won none of the 17 Democratic contests so far.

The 11-year governor told the crowd "things work right" in Vermont and said his goal was to make the United States work more like Vermont.

He said he didn't succeed yet, "But we have a long way to go."

In a message on his Web site, Dean said defeating President George W. Bush in November remains "the most important goal."

Dean said he's launching a new initiative that will keep his goals alive -- and that he'll be announcing details in the coming weeks. An aide said Dean will be launching a "campaign for change" within the party, even as he ends his presidential campaign.

Dean's announcement ends what has been one of the most remarkable presidential campaigns in history.

A year ago Dean's candidacy was considered a lark, but his opposition to the Iraq war and his success at using the Internet turned him into the front-runner for the nomination.

Statement From Dean's Web Site

Today my candidacy may come to an end -- but our campaign for change is not over.

I want to thank each and every person who has supported this campaign. Over the last year, you have reached out to neighbors, friends, family and colleagues--building one American at a time the greatest grassroots campaign presidential politics has ever seen. I will never forget the work and the heart that you put into our campaign.

In the coming weeks, we will be launching a new initiative to continue the campaign you helped begin. Please continue to come to www.deanforamerica.com for updates and news as our new initiative develops. There is much work still to be done, and today is not an end--it is just the beginning.

This Party and this country needs change, and you have already begun that process. I want you to think about how far we have come. The truth is: change is tough. There is enormous institutional pressure in our country against change. There is enormous institutional pressure in Washington against change, in the Democratic Party against change. Yet, you have already started to change the Party and together we have transformed this race. Along the way, we've engaged hundreds of thousands of new Americans in the political process, as witnessed by this year's record participation in the primaries and caucuses.

The fight that we began can and must continue. Although my candidacy for president may end today, the most important goal remains defeating George W. Bush in November, and I hope that you will join me in doing everything we can to support the Democrats this fall. From the earliest days of our campaign, I have said that the power to change Washington rests not in my hands, but in yours. Always remember, you have the power to take our country back.

Gov. Howard Dean M.D.