Eight months before the general election of the 44th president of the United States, just six of the original 19 candidates remain.  The 13 campaigns that expired early are fading from the national spotlight, but not without leaving behind organizers, piles of campaign buttons and different political ideals.

Dennis Kucinich, whose bid for the Democratic presidential nomination focused on ending the Iraq war, establishing a Department of Peace, and universal health care, dropped out of the race four weeks ago. But one volunteer, Gail Heyn, 60, still answers e-mails for the Dennis Kucinich for President Web site.  Heyn now signs her communications "transitional team," but she is not entirely sure what that means.

"I honestly don't know who the transitional team is," said Heyn, an early childhood special education teacher. "I will keep answering e-mails until they shut down the site. I love Dennis' message, his Department of Peace, his inclusion of everybody."

While the heartbeat of a presidential campaign may stop, for some of its volunteers, the lifeblood of any political effort, "drop out day" does not mean an end to efforts on behalf of their candidate.

Doug Biviano, 38, left his programming job and elected to work part-time while he pounded the pavement for Kucinich.  As a building superintendent and the volunteer New York State campaign coordinator, he would take the garbage out by day and sit next to congressmen by night at forums where they spoke about the candidates they represented.

Biviano was on his way to speak for his preferred nominee at a New York Civil Liberties Union event when he heard that Kucinich was ending his quest for the Oval Office.  His wife’s mother had passed away just days before, but he believed so strongly in Kucinich that he would write speeches and drive to forums at every opportunity.  He called the event organizers and they persuaded him to participate anyway. After his remarks, the audience gave him a standing ovation.  He continues to speak on behalf of the former candidate at forums and events. "We have to keep his message of peace as part of the conversation," Biviano said.

Executive Director Tara Keenan-Thomson thanked him for sharing Kucinich’s message at the event.  She wrote to Biviano, “Even in the face of his withdrawal, you were able to take a stand and highlight where the other candidates should be focusing."

Heyn so firmly believes in Kucinich that her intention is to vote for him as a write-in candidate in the general election. Heyn said the Iowa caucuses did not sway her support, and she will send in her absentee ballot from her hometown of Ottumwa, Iowa, with Kucinich's name on it, even if he eventually endorses someone else.

Some volunteers continue to stump, canvas, distribute fliers and make phone calls in their spare – and for some not so spare – time. They are not ready to support another candidate.

Chris Colligan’s presidential hopeful, John Edwards, dropped out six days before the Super Tuesday primaries.  When her friends and associates asked, “Who will you vote for now?” she responded, “John is my candidate. He is who I want to be president.”  She was proud to vote for him in the New York Democratic primary, even though he would win no delegates in the state.  Had he stayed in the race, she might have been elected as one of his delegates. "This was my heart," she said. "It wasn't just an intellectual exercise.” 

Behind every presidential contender is an army of supporters. A few of them are still fighting even if their candidates have departed the race. These are some of their stories.

Dennis Kucinich Campaign
John Edwards Campaign
Campaign Finance
Campaign for Department of Peace