You're newbies. You were never active in the Dem party, but you've been Meeting Up for Dean for quite a while, and the local pols have appeared among you.
You MUST harness the local machine to work on Dean's behalf -- you cannot rely on your own efforts.
Here's how:
All politicians are afraid of people who pay attention. They can get away with so much more when people don't. This is especially true of local pols; the smaller the constituency, the more each vote counts.
If you're in a Feb primary state, LET THESE GUYS KNOW you are not only watching, but will base your future support on what you observe.
Take a look at your MeetUp numbers, and if you have a large-enough group, promise them a future election challenge or a bloc that is capable of taking over the local Dem machine.
Do these things nicely and politely, of course, but do them.
The state parties are going to be the power-brokers this next month. You can counteract the pressure from on high by applying pressure from below. By doing so, you can provide them with a ready-made excuse for not following instructions from on-high, plus pols might well conclude it will be easier to escape the state party's wrath than yours.
This, my friends, is the only way that Dean's organizational strength can be leveraged. You're the ones who have been paying attention, and you're the ones who can make a difference at the local level.
This is part of the power that Dean has told you about. Use it.