Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin will officially announce that he is dropping out of the presidential race this morning, according to a Iowa Democratic party official.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Harkin campaign informed the party headquarters of its decision yesterday.

"He's going to get out of it--officially," the official told the Associated Press.

Meanwhile, the other presidential candidates from both parties spent the weekend engaged in their most intense campaigning yet, in preparation for tomorrow's Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses in 11 states, including Massachusetts.

Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton and President George Bush barely have enough time to enjoy their recent victories in South Carolina. Clinton also won in the Wyoming and Arizona caucuses this weekend.

The Harkin departure, spurred by a string of poor primary showings, will be announced at news conferences in Washington this morning and in Des Monies this afternoon.

A source who spoke with Harkin yesterday, who did not want to be identified, said Harkin planned to praise the Democratic rivals he has been bashing the past few months, and to sharply criticize Bush. He will not endorse another candidate, the source said.

Two candidates, former Massachusetts Sen. Paul E. Tsongas and former California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr., praised Harkin for his contributions to the race and said they would actively seek the labor forces that have supported his campaign.

"Harkin gave voice to the aspirations of the working men and women of this country and he deserves our gratitude," Brown said.

Tsongas said he had spoken with Harkin by phone, and joked, "I asked him to help me with my speaking style."

It is unclear to whom Harkin's support will fall.

Harkin had called himself the "only realDemocrat in the race" and had promised deepdefense cuts and massive increases in socialspending to create jobs and revitalize America'sdomestic infrastructure.

In other campaign news yesterday, voters inMassachusetts, who have been largely ignored thisyear due to former Sen. Paul E. Tsongas' nativeson status here, supported Tsongas by a giganticmargin in a poll published in The Boston Globeyesterday.

Tsongas received 64 percent of the Democraticvote in the poll, while Clinton finished secondwith eight percent. Brown garnered six percent andHarkin won three percent of Democratic support.Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey, who officially droppedout of the race during the second of two pollingdays, received four percent.

Bush garnered 69 percent of the Republican votein the poll, leaving conservative columnistPatrick J. Buchanan with 17 percent and former KuKlux Klan leader David Duke with one percent.

None of the major candidates had spent anysignificant time in the Bay State, where thethird-largest number of delegates will be awardedtomorrow, before this weekend.