So far, Dr. Dean has benefited from being the best-known candidate in a crowded field.

In the Virginia contest, participants set up an account of $5 to $500 and trade in shares of the three best-known candidates.

As she is the front-runner and the best-known candidate, Ms. Ferraro may be right.

With his announcement, in an e-mail note to supporters, Dr. Dean becomes the best-known candidate for the job.

In some ways, he is well-placed: he is probably the best-known candidate, and doing particularly well among voters too young to remember the Troubles.

While conventional wisdom is that the best-known candidates would benefit, views about how the shift might play out vary among strategists.

The best-known candidates, though, have obvious advantages.

Mr. Gore was in a political wilderness of sorts yet was still perceived as the strongest and best-known candidate in the field.

For now, they are certainly the best-known candidates.

The campaigns also resolved to distribute the best-known candidates throughout the state instead of attending events together, to keep local Democratic workers energized.