Democrats say it's time to take back their party, and define who they are. Three–and–a–half years before the next Presidential election, party leaders are already rallying their troops.

Wednesday night, the chair of the Democratic National Committee – Howard Dean – said it's time for reform and change.

Speaking at a grassroots fundraiser for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Dean told the crowd the party stands for individual freedom and personal liberty.

Not far away, state Republicans held their own rally Wednesday night. Leaders say the Democratic Party is adrift right now. But Dean says democrats aren't going to wait until 2008 to fix that.

"So we're going to be everywhere and we're going to be everywhere now. We're not going to wait for eight months before the election. We're going to build right now, a four year campaign," says Dean.

"The democrats don't have a plan out there. The president has been out there presenting ideas and the democrats don't have ideas. All they can do is throw the bombs right now," says Rick Wiley, executive director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.

Republicans add their message is of fiscal conservatism and common sense legislation.

This was Dean's first trip to Wisconsin since becoming Chair of the Democratic National Committee in February.