National Democrats will not write off Utah, Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean said, even though it's one of the most Republican states in the country and no Democratic candidate for governor or U.S. Senate has won here in decades.

Dean, who at one point led the Democratic presidential race in 2004 and now leads the national party, will give a free public address at Westminster College at noon Saturday. The event is hosted by the Utah Democratic Party, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon and the Associated Students of Westminster College.

He will meet with elected Democratic office holders and other selected party stalwarts in an invitation-only fund-raising reception before his speech, said Todd Taylor, the newly installed Utah Democratic Party executive director.

Tickets to the noon speech are free, but seating in the Eccles Jones Hall is limited and seats will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis, Taylor said.

Dean made headlines recently for his sharp criticisms of national Republicans, the GOP majority in Congress and President Bush.

Some national Democrats have distanced themselves from Dean. But in a telephone interview Tuesday, Dean said he's not backing down.

"I consider myself a kind, gentle guy," said the medical doctor and former Vermont governor. "You can't believe what the Republican National Committee says about me. And I will continue to stand up against corruption in Washington."

Just this week, new revelations came that White House Deputy Chief of Staff and former Utahn Karl Rove — one of Bush's closest political aides — might have mentioned the name of a former CIA undercover agent when talking to a Time magazine reporter about who leaked the agent's name to syndicated columnist Robert Novak last year. New York Times reporter Judith Miller, who was working on but never published a story about the leak, has been sent to jail by a federal judge because she refused to reveal to a grand jury the identify of a source she interviewed.

Dean jumped on Rove's involvement, saying he'll continue to speak out against the political misdeeds of Rove, of U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who has been investigated for ethical breaches, and of other Republicans.

Democrats have had some success in the West in recent elections, Dean said. And even Utah should not be written off. Most political experts say Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, is safe in his 2006 re-election. But Dean said anything can happen — and in any case, Democrats have a real shot at winning back the Senate and House next year.

Democrats have three open Senate seats and one incumbent to defend. But seven Republicans are up for election, he noted. Republicans hold 55 seats in the 100-member body.