Category: Democrats Rebuilding

California Democratic Party Chairman Endorses Keith Ellison

Big get for Keith Ellison in the DNC chairman race. He sent out this statement from John Burton, chairman of the California Democratic Party:

“I am supporting Keith Ellison for DNC chair because he is committed full time to organizing field efforts in key states, and I agree with him that Democrats must do a better job to motivate voters across the nation, including championing working families and their issues.

“Keith knows that elections aren’t won in Washington, D.C. He understands the investment and support state parties need and will help foster a strong bench of candidates, effective field operations and open communication between the National Democratic Party and every state, especially those that need it the most.

“And over the last few months, I’ve received overwhelming feedback from activist Democrats across CA who back Keith.  People like to refer to California as a blue state, but it was just over 6 years ago we fought to successfully take back the Governorship from a Republican, and I credit our successes to a re-energized state party that supports its grassroots volunteers and promotes candidates who reflect California’s values. Keith Ellison’s commitment to organizing gives me hope we’ll see similar results across the nation.”

Why is this important? 1) As state party chairman, Burton is one of the party insiders who has a say in picking the next DNC chairman at the party’s winter meeting in Atlanta at the end of the month. 2) As NBC’s Alex Seitz-Wald points out, California has the largest delegation to the DNC.  (NOTE: For those of you seeing this as a Bernie-Hillary proxy war, keep in mind that Hillary Clinton won the California primary 55-43.)

UPDATE: Here’s the statement from the California Democratic Party’s Twitter account:

Richmond Democrat Wins Special Election for Virginia House Seat

Richmond School Board member Jeff Bourne is now the newest member of the Virginia House of Delegates, having defeated Libertarian candidate John Barclay and Independent candidate Regie Ford with a whopping 89 percent of the vote in the special election for the Commonwealth’s 71st House District.

The 71st District, which includes parts of Richmond and Henrico County, was previously represented by Democratic Delegate Jennifer McClellan, who vacated the seat after being elected to represent the 9th Senate District. This election gives Republicans a 66-34 majority in the House.  Bourne and the other members of the House of Delegates are up for reelection in November of 2017.

Statement from Democratic Party of Virginia Chairwoman Susan Swecker:

“Congratulations to Delegate-Elect Jeff Bourne on his victory in Virginia’s 71st House District. Jeff brings a fresh vision and passion for public service and he’ll fight for Virginia families, education, and good-paying jobs. We look forward to seeing what lies ahead for Jeff in his new role in the House.”

Statement from DLCC Executive Director Jessica Post:

“Congratulations to Delegate-elect Bourne on his success tonight,” said Post. “An outstanding legislative candidate with a strong background in public service has won the second consecutive election since President Trump’s inauguration – a crucial contrast to an administration already rife with desperation and incompetence. DLCC is thrilled by Del.-elect Bourne’s victory. He reflects both Democratic and Virginia values, and his win is just one of many electoral victories to come for down-ballot Democrats as voters reject the Trump administration’s extreme and bigoted agenda.”

Virginia Democratic Party Chairwoman Running for Presidency of State Party Chairs

Susan Swecker, the chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, announced her candidacy for president of the Association of State Democratic Chairs, the position currently held by New Hampshire Democratic Party chairman Ray Buckley.  Here’s an excerpt from the letter she sent out to state party chairs and vice chairs to launch her campaign:

The message of my campaign and my goal if elected is simple: to help us grow and maintain strong Democratic Party infrastructures that are sustainable regardless of any one election cycle.  Simply put, we have done that in Virginia and I want to partner with you to build better, stronger vibrant state parties across the country.

I firmly believe the way to rebuild the Democratic Party starts with us.  As State Party Chairs and Vice Chairs we are on the ground – on the front lines – talking with voters, building programs, and we are the ones who know that we must not just turn out the base, but persuade voters. We, along with the organizations we have built in our states, are the ones who are the best hope Democrats have to rebuild from the bottom up.

While we lost the presidency on November 8th, we had many success stories. Working with our stakeholders we made decisions that brought victories at state and local levels.  We also saw the striking difference when our united efforts directly led to higher performance than the top of the ticket. That isn’t a coincidence – it is a testament to hard work, coordination and teamwork on the ground by the people who know the lay of the land the best.

Virginia has been one of the Democratic Party’s biggest success stories over the past decade or so, for statewide and congressional races, and has turned blue for the past three consecutive presidential campaigns, after a string of uninterrupted Republican victories from 1968 to 2004.

The election for the position will take place at the Democrats’ meeting in Atlanta at the end of February, at which they will also be electing officers for leadership positions in the Democratic National Committee.

Oregon Governor’s Executive Order Prohibits State Agencies from Participating in Religious Registry

Oregon governor Kate Brown issued an executive order a few days ago instructing executive branch agencies not to target or discriminate against people solely on the basis of their immigration status.

One particularly interesting provision to keep in mind:

5. Non-participation in Religious Registry. No state agency may use moneys, equipment, or personnel to assist in or facilitate the creation of a registry the purpose of which is to identify members of a religious group, except as required by federal or state law.

In other words, the state of Oregon will not participate in any Muslim database or registry.

Keith Ellison Picks Up Endorsements in DNC Race

Keith Ellison rolled out several big endorsements over the last few days leading up to today’s DNC Forum in Detroit.

Former Vice President Walter Mondale (who, like Ellison, is also from Minnesota):

“I’m pleased to support Keith Ellison, a fellow Minnesotan, as the next Chair of the Democratic National Committee. Keith was a Minnesota star in the state legislature and now in the U.S. House. Keith believes that we need to help all Americans succeed, and this message of inclusiveness is one that has resonated with people in the 5th Congressional District in Minnesota, who have re-elected Keith five times and who have turned out to vote in increasing numbers ever since Keith took office. Keith is exactly the type of person our Party needs right now, and I know he’d use his talents to elect Democrats across our country if he’s the next DNC Chair.”

Rep. John Lewis:

I ask you to join me in supporting my colleague and dear friend, Keith Ellison, for DNC Chair. Keith’s long history as an organizer who can energize the grassroots makes him the best choice to lead our party during this critical time. He knows that sometimes you have to have good trouble. You have to get in the way and raise your voice. But protest must be channeled into electoral and legislative success. Keith’s record standing with the grassroots means he is a trusted partner to harness this protest energy into rebuilding the Democratic Party.

The Teamsters (Worth noting that the Teamsters endorsed Ellison and not the most recent former Labor Secretary Tom Perez):

Today, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters endorsed Rep. Keith Ellison to lead the Democratic National Committee. Rep. Ellison is a strong voice for working families and labor.

“It is time for the Democratic Party to get back to its roots and focus on the issues that matter most to workers – jobs, health care and retirement security. Rep. Ellison is a proven organizer who knows that these battles are won in the field, not the corridors of Washington.

The Nation: one of the oldest liberal/progressive publications in the United States.

The right response to this crisis is a retooling of the Democratic National Committee to align it more closely with movements for social and economic justice. The party must make the inside/outside connection that will strengthen immediate resistance to the Trump regime, while improving the long-term electoral prospects of Democrats. Keith Ellison, co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, is prepared to do just that. In an impressive field of contenders for the position of DNC chair—including party leaders that The Nation has often praised, like former labor secretary Tom Perez, as well as energetic newcomers like Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana—it is Ellison who combines the ideals, skills, and movement connections that will revitalize the party.

Former DNC Chair Endorses Pete Buttigieg

Former Democratic National Committee chairman Steve Grossman has endorsed South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg to be the next chairman of the DNC, according to NBC News. In a letter sent out to DNC members – who will elect the party’s next chairman and senior leadership at the end of February – Grossman wrote that Buttigieg could, “transform the DNC through the power of his ideas and his ability to execute an ambitious plan.”

This is Buttigieg’s first big endorsement in the race, though only two other former chairs (Terry McAuliffe and Donnie Fowler) have endorsed candidates in this race (Tom Perez and Jaime Harrison).

Biden Endorses Tom Perez for DNC Chair

Multiple news organizations are reporting that former vice president Joe Biden has endorsed Tom Perez for DNC chairman. The Perez campaign has not yet sent out an announcement or posted it on social media.  According to the Daily Beast, Perez was telling DNC members gathered in Houston last weekend that he had locked down Biden’s support:

Since as recently as last week, Perez had been telling DNC members that he had secured Biden’s endorsement. At the site of last weekend’s DNC forum in Houston, Texas, Perez was discussing the future of the Democratic Party with a private gathering of DNC members. According to two sources familiar with the exchanges, Perez excitedly said, in an apparent effort to drum up more support from DNC members, that the former vice president had his back. “And that’s why Joe Biden is coming out for me next week,” one DNC member recalled Perez saying.

UPDATE: Here’s the tweet from Tom Perez

DNC Candidates Join Airport Protest

HOUSTON – “Sign me up for the Resistance,” South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg told an auditorium full of Democratic Party insiders and activists on Saturday afternoon. Several hours later, he and three other candidates running for leadership positions in the Democratic National Committee were in the middle of a protest at George Bush Intercontinental Airport to protest the Trump administration’s executive order on immigration and refugee resettlement.

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DNC chair candidates Tom Perez, Pete Buttigieg and Jaime Harrison speak to protestors outside Terminal E at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. (Photo credit: David de Sola)

They joined a crowd of approximately one hundred people that had gathered outside Terminal E, the international arrivals terminal, joining similar protests that broke out at airports across the country.  As was the case at other protests, according to Politico’s Gabriel Debenedetti, a group of local lawyers was present. They had gathered there to offer potential legal assistance to travelers who might be affected by the executive order. Though the crowd at Houston wasn’t as big as other airports, the city itself is the fourth biggest destination in the world for refugee resettlement, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Also on the scene were former Secretary of Labor Tom Perez and South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Jaime Harrison, as well as Democratic National Committee Vice Chair Maria Elena Durazo. Buttigieg, Perez and Harrison are candidates running to be the next chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Durazo is running for reelection to her current post.  All four were in Houston on Saturday for a regional forum sponsored by the DNC for candidates running for leadership positions ahead of the party’s election scheduled to take place at the end of February.

“I think it’s great that we have the organization and infrastructure, the activity and activism, and the heart and soul to stand up to what Donald Trump is doing,” Durazo said in an interview. “We have never seen this many protests, this many demonstrations in the numbers, in the consecutive days of activity, from Saturday the Women’s March, to Philadelphia, to tonight. It’s unfortunate that the reasons are Donald Trump is signing these executive orders and because he’s so hell-bent on violating our constitutional rights.”

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DNC Vice Chair Maria Elena Durazo speaks to protestors outside Terminal E at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. (Photo credit: David de Sola)

Tom Perez took advantage of his fluency in Spanish and addressed protestors and local media in both languages. “Somos los Estados Unidos, no somos los Estados Divididos.” We are the United States, not the Divided States. It is worth noting one dynamic from the election which probably played a part in Saturday’s protests: the urban-rural split between liberals and conservatives. Because liberals tend to concentrate in large cities, many of which have international airports, that is probably one reason why these protests were able to organize and mobilize so quickly, even in a historically conservative state like Texas.

“We knew this would be a day of reckoning when Donald Trump assumed the Oval Office,” he told protestors. “We didn’t know it would come this fast. Lady Liberty has taken a few body punches, but the American people will fight back.”

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Photo credit: David de Sola

Harrison cited the famous quote by Pastor Martin Niemöller, as well as a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King’s Letter from a Birmingham City Jail: “We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the actions and words of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.”

“We are that shining beacon on a hill,” Harrison said during an interview. “We will get back to that point once [Donald Trump] is no longer president.”

“Resistance is not futile, resistance is necessary. We cannot allow this man to destroy this great nation, to destroy the reputation that it’s had for generations.”

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Pete Buttigieg and Jaime Harrison join the crowds protesting the Trump administration’s executive order. (Photo credit: David de Sola)

Buttigieg, who at one point acted as an Arabic-English interpreter for a newly arrived family and the crowd gathered outside the terminal, said during an interview, “Every time there’s another outrage, there’s going to have to be another response.”

“We have to make sure it’s not just reactive to what they do. We got to make sure that we’re building a proactive agenda around freedom, around fairness, around protecting families, and around our future.”

DNC Forum Houston Liveblog Chairman Candidates

Here’s the field for the second DNC forum. Note that this will be the first appearance by the last four names at the bottom of the list.

Sally Boynton Brown, Idaho
Raymond Buckley, New Hampshire
Pete Buttigieg, Indiana
Keith Ellison, Minnesota
Jehmu Greene, Texas
Jaime Harrison, South Carolina
Honorable Tom Perez, Maryland
Peter Peckarsky, Wisconsin
Sam Ronan, Ohio
Vincent Tolliver, Georgia
Robert Vinson Brannum, Washington, D.C.

Continue reading “DNC Forum Houston Liveblog Chairman Candidates”

DNC Forum Houston Liveblog – Vice Chair Candidates

The Field of Candidates for Vice Chair:
Michael Blake, New York
Melissa Byrne, Pennsylvania
Mitch Ceasar, Florida
Maria Elena Durazo, California
Liz Jaff, Washington, D.C.
Lorna M. Johnson, California
Latoia Jones, Washington, D.C.
Grace Meng, New York
Rick Palacio, Colorado
Adam Parkhomenko, Virginia

Liz Jaff notes that some DNC members don’t know what the vice chair does
Says it is time to rethink the role.

Maria Elena Durazo: We need to do a better job electing the most progressive candidates to office. We did it in California.

Mitch Caesar: This is an opportunity. We don’t have White House or Congress.
We have movement here that is genuine. Need to be part of it, not coopt it.
Need to bring everybody to the table.
So many people were so confident we couldn’t lose this election, and here we all are today.

Grace Meng: Because of this president, many people at JFK so Americans with green cards and man who served with US army 10 years not separated from his family.
Momentum for 2017, 2018, and 2020 elections.  Our job to provide infrastructure so our state parties and candidates have tools and resources to run for office and increase turnout.

Latoia Jones: We need them (marchers) more than they need us.
We have to recruit them, engage them and train them. When we do that, we win.

Adam Parkhomenko: When someone steps up with a good idea or movement, it’s a good idea to work with them.
Ready for Hillary worked because people felt invested.
All this money spent on TV, if we could invest it locally..

Melissa Byrne: I’m running for Vice Chair of the Resistance
Need to make sure every senator votes “Hell, no!” on all the nominations.
Need to make sure Democrats introducing legislation.
When they try to build that wall, we are right there tearing down that wall.
We are the Resistance, we are going to win!

Rick Palacio: We need to afford Donald Trump and Republicans the same benefits they gave President Obama.
We need to be the Resistance as Democrats, oppose all these nominees.
Stand up for our Muslim brothers and sisters.
Stand up with our LGBT brothers and sisters.
Stand with our brothers and sisters in Labor as well.

Lorna Johnson:
We’re in touch with the young people

Maria Elena Durazo: Extraordinary movement in Phoenix. Registered tens of thousands of new voters in the heat of the summer.  What moved them was fact we were out to create more just equal society, and we gave them freedom to talk about it in their terms.
We gave them space to talk about it for themselves. I didn’t pretend to speak for them and nobody else should. Create space for people to speak for themselves and say it in their words.

Liz Jaff: Look at our panel. Lot of young people running for office. The press needs to talk about that. The chair candidates are great. They need to talk to us. We are millennials running to be their vice chairs.
Bunch of Bernie, Hillary and Obama people got 1,500 young people to sign up to run for office.

Michael Blake: talk about technology… People want to be involved. Have to start listening towhat’s going on.  Young people believe in our vision.
Don’t sit there on Facebook or Instagram. Get out there and mobilize. I refuse to sit on the sidelines while we have a demagogue in the White House.

Grace Meng: Tech increasingly important.  Work with sttes and state legislators to make sure our voting rolls are current.
Future Forum – ask DNC chair candidates to provide line item in DNC budget to trget youth and millennial generation, and technology.

Melissa Byrne: As only Bernie alum up here, connecting tech with young people was because we were able to connect with them on key issues.
Connecting offline is where you really build power.
Want to work with DSCC and DCCC to undo their email program. How many of you have gotten “the sky is falling” messages?

Mitch Ceasar: Lot of areas we need to win, but also lot of areas we need to lose not so badly.
We win in South Florida. Central Florida is a swing area. We lose in North Florida. If we did a little better there, our odds would increase.
We need to have a southern strategy.
The DNC needs to invest in the South. The South is there to be picked up on, it is there to be gained from. Use this as an opportunity.
I don’t like losing to Republicans, I’ve done that before. But I don’t like losing to THIS GUY.

Adam Parkhomenko: The sad part is we have to keep asking this question.
Howard Dean talked about this as the outsider, came in, won.
Key here – stick to the rules in the charter.  Saw this in the primary.
DNC needs to be resource to the states.
I did anything and everything I could during 2 and a half months I was at DNC to help Georgia.
We have state parties with no money. State parties like Kentucky that got into debt because they decided to double down.
Kansas – best election in years.
Alaska – took back the House.
Every officer elected should play a role to raise funds for state party partnership.

Lorna Johnson: The system is broken and needs to be rebuilt, from grassroots up.
State and local levels have been ignored during non-election years.
Funding – so we can have year round program.
Need transparency and accountability for the funds that we raise.
In order to get legislative seats, must get out the vote. Local voting is important.

Rick Palacio: DNC lost focus. Turned into a machine which large sums of money went to state parties to elect president every 4 years.
Rebuild our state parties.
Strengthen our parties, empower them to recruit local candidates.
Unacceptable for Republicans to go unchallenged anywhere, even if it’s solid red county or district.
We’re going to grow from inside out, not from top down.

Grace Meng: It is incredibly important, local candidates feel like they have no support.
As we build toward reform, one of our big challenges redistricting: have to make important strides before tackling topic of 2020 presidential elections.

Liz Jaff: we don’t provide tools, resources or data
Want more people to run for office.
We’re closing off information and data, people get upset and move away from the party.
Need to make that information a lot clearer.
This is about crowdsourcing information.
Competition makes us better.

Michael Blake: have to make it easier for everyone to vote.
Can’t shttps://wordpress.com/post/politicalwilderness.com/2461it silently by while restrictive policies on the vote.
Should support open primaries. Anyone that wants to vote that should be able to.
Should embrace change, change makes us better party.
Engage all of the time.

Michael Ceasar: We are at crossroads.  Have to search soul and decide whether primaries or caucuses way to go.
Last 8 years, had Dem in White House, decisions were made for us.  We don’t have the White House anymore

Melissa Byrne: What you can do today on local level is knock on a door, build a community. Have 10 friends come over, talk about issues important to your community, go hit 20 doors and talk to people.
In elections, you work backwards.  Figure out all benchmarks you need to accomplish today.
Pay interns $15 an hour – no more unpaid internships.

Rick Palacio: Colorado has 64 counties, 3 organizers. They divide up the state.
Encouraging them to run for office. People who volunteer on campaign are perfect candidates to run for office.
Ask people who don’t want to run for something to make phone calls or write letters to elected officials.
Encourage people to do something simple like have a house party. Invite friends and neighborhood organizations to come in and start spreading the word.
Community engagement meetings is how we do it in Colorado. Encourage other state party chairs to do the same.

CLOSING COMMENTS:

Latoia Jones: We have a connection issue. We’re not connecting with young voters, etc.
Need to hear what they’re saying.
In Georgia, we moved the needle. I have done this work.

Mitch Ceasar: I’ve done everything from raise money to organize campaigns to media.
I was one of originators of Florida Recount case in 2000.
I drew ire of Rush Limbaugh by name.
I’m here because I care about party and philosophy we share.

Maria Elena Durazo: Courage of workers at Trump hotel who voted for forming unions and voted against him as president inspired me.

Michael Blake: King said we remember the silence of our friends

Melissa Byrne: Protested Trump in Philly because he had audacity to show up in sanctuary city.

Lorna Johnson: We all want transparency, state party funding, and to be included. The question is implementation.

Grace Meng: Want transparency and accessibility to the budget.  Support candidates so we can increase accessibility to our candidates and increase local turnout. Diversity and inclusion – where we put or money is where priorities lie.

Rick Palacio: When we don’t stand up for one another, no one else will.
Now is not the time for us to be fighting amongst ourselves. Rebuild party from inside out.
The next 4 years going to be long, and we’re not going to win anything sniping at others’ heels.

Liz Jaff: We need to get stuff done. DNC is toolkit for the people. Democrats have never been stronger, more sexy. Donald Trump coming for you.

Adam Parkhomenko: Spent career investing and growing grassroots of our party.  I’m a workhorse. Spoken with 400 DNC members now. I’ve heard a lot, heard you want to see more respect for state parties, real funding for state parties, heard you want to win more downballot elections, heard you want a partner at the DNC.  I want to be that partner, make sure you have someone there for you.