Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean would have the best shot at beating President Bush in 2004, according to an unscientific online survey of moderate South Carolina Democrats.

More than 500 Democratic activists participated in the week-long survey, conducted by the South Carolina Democratic Leadership Council.

The survey — handled completely by e-mail and through the council’s Web site — included numerous questions about the nine presidential candidates and issues.

When asked to name the candidate with the best chance of beating Bush, 33 percent chose Dean, followed by retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark with 27 percent and U.S. Sen. John Edwards with 14 percent.

The survey is part of what the council calls its “digital dialogue” with its members, designed to drum up interest in the Feb. 3 presidential primary.

“No other state has this,” said Phil Noble, president of the SCDLC.

The Democratic Leadership Council is a group of moderate-to-conservative Democrats formed in 1985 with the objective of moving public discourse away from traditional liberalism and conservatism.

The S.C. chapter of the DLC is the largest in the nation, with a membership list of 2,000 party activists.

“The SCDLC believes that the presidential primary is important for our state, and we want to get more people involved,” said state Rep. John Scott, D-Richland, chairman of the SCDLC.

The survey is not a scientific poll that accurately reflects public opinion. The respondents were disproportionately white and middle- and upper-income. The findings, nevertheless, were interesting.

When asked to name their favorite candidate for president, Dean was clearly the top choice with 34 percent.

He was followed by Edwards with 18 percent, Clark with 14 percent, U.S. Sen. John Kerry with 11 percent, U.S. Rep. Dick Gephardt with 7 percent, U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich with 4 percent, U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman with 3 percent, the Rev. Al Sharpton of New York with 2 percent, and former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun with 1 percent.

Noble was not surprised by the large numbers supporting Dean. The governor has built his national campaign around recruiting supporters and soliciting money via the Internet, he noted, so “we are bound to get a heavy dosage of Dean people” in an online survey.

The SCDLC held a lunch earlier this year at which former White House press secretary Mike McCurry was the honored guest. All the presidential candidates were invited. Only Dean showed.

SCDLC members remember that, which also may explain the Dean numbers in the survey, Noble suggested.

Other findings from the on-line survey:

• More than 80 percent thought South Carolina was on the wrong track.

• Crime, terrorism and the plight of blacks were the top three issues.

• A majority preferred a candidate who opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning.

• Most favored a candidate who wants to repeal all of Bush’s tax cuts.

• Dean scored highest for having the best ideas for dealing with crime.

• Clark had the best ideas on dealing with terrorism.

• Sharpton scored the highest on ideas for helping black people.

• Dean scored highest among those who thought he cared the most about them.

• Clark was seen as the candidate with the greatest leadership skills.

• Edwards was most likable.

Last Wednesday, the SCDLC kicked off the second phase of its digital dialogue with the first of several conference calls with presidential candidates. Kerry spent about an hour answering questions posed by callers.

“The SCDLC is about encouraging new ideas and new people to help reform politics in South Carolina,” Noble said.

“Using the Internet and new technology to engage more and different people and give them a voice is an important step in the process of reform.”