Paul Berendt
has just stepped down from the Charimanship of the Washington State Democratic Party. He's out come January 28. A copy of his letter and some discussion of who we might want to replace him after the break.
Dear Democratic Friends,
I am writing to inform you that I have decided to step down as
Chairman of the Washington State Democratic Party effective the next
regularly scheduled meeting of the Democratic State Committee on January 28,
2006. We will hold a special election at that time for the remainder of my
term which will run until party-wide reorganization in January of 2007.
There are many important reasons why I have made the decision to
step down at this time. I would like to share them with you.
I am currently the longest serving Democratic State Party
Chairman in the United States. While having consistency and stability in our
party has been a tremendous asset, I believe there comes a time when a
change in the chairmanship is beneficial and that time has come. Change will
be good for our party and good for me personally.
The challenges brought forth by the three ballot counts and five
lawsuits in the Governor's election contest challenge were very intense and
draining to me. Although Governor Gregoire's victory and the part I was able
to play in her election will always be a highlight of my life, I believe it
is best for me to have a change of pace at this time. I can honestly say
that I have been able to get up and enthusiastically meet the challenges of
the state party every day that I have served as your chair. But, I believe
that a new perspective and some fresh energy will add to the momentum that I
sense is building for the 2006 election cycle. The state party chairmanship
is a tough job. You deserve a leader who is at the top of their game at all
times.
I am passionate in my belief that we are poised to win many
great victories in 2006. Maria Cantwell will be strong heading into this
election year. I am willing to wager today that our party will pick up many
Congressional and state legislative seats in the mid-term election. I
believe it is only fair to my successor to leave at a time when more
victories are possible in the 2006 and 2008 election cycles.
Together we really have been able to make a difference:
* We elected Chris Gregoire after the most heavily fought election
contest in US history. We won after three counts and five lawsuits. We
became an inspiration to national Democrats yearning for our party to stand
up and demand that every legitimate vote be counted.
History.
* We reformed the state primary election system. For the first time in
my lifetime, Democrats can choose the candidates who will fight for and
address their issues in a Primary election.
- We have the best record of electing Democrats of any state Union.
- We defeated Slade Gorton and elected Maria Cantwell.
- We won four Congressional seats.
- We won majorities in both the State House and Senate.
- We have developed a larger, more complex staff organization which
includes professional data base, web design, fundraising, field and
compliance professionals.
* We have developed a one of a kind voter file data base that is the
only state voter file that can be accessed by grassroots precinct workers
for the important work they are doing in their communities.
* We have rebuilt the grassroots of our party, adding thousands of
Precinct Committee workers to our membership in the past decade.
As we elect a new State Chair, please know my primary concern is
that the members of the state committee have the ability to choose among
good candidates. Given good choices, the party leaders of our state will
make the right choice every time.
Over the next six weeks I intend to work to resolve whatever
issues remain as a burden to the party. There remains a large legal debt
from the successful Governor's election contest. Please know that I hope to
see it reduced substantially by the time I depart in January. I will be
available to work with the new chair for a smooth transition.
You may want to know I will do next. The honest answer is that I
am unsure. For a variety of reasons it has been difficult to enter into
serious conversations about future options while I am serving as your
chairman. My tremendously supportive family, Beth and Michaela, deserve to
have more of my time. When I was first elected, Michaela was only five
months old. Today she is in the fifth grade. I want to go to all of her
plays, ball games and school shows while she is still in school. I want to
cook Beth dinner more regularly. I have missed too many dinners and ball
games while on this job.
In closing, I would like to especially thank Karen Marchioro for
her mentorship, love and all of her efforts on behalf of our party to make
it a party focused on our grassroots and a fully inclusive party. I want to
thank David McDonald for his friendship, extraordinary support, his brain
power and his constant work as our reform minded legal strategist during the
primary election reform battles and the Governor's election contest. Please
know how incredibly grateful I am to you as a party leader and to all the
party members in our state who have been such an important part of our work
and victories in the State of Washington
Thank you for your good wishes and tremendous support. Together
we have built what is perhaps the best state political party in the country.
Please give the new chair the same support and good wishes you have given to
me.
Sincerely,
Paul Berendt
Washington State Democratic Chair
Last time the chair was up for election 4 people ran. Paul obviously won, but there were some other good people.
Greg Rodriguez was focused on building the grass roots and technology issues. Integrating the netroots with other parts of the party appratus. As he told me at the time:
The grass roots need to be developed by supporting our local legislative and
county organizations better. Much of this can be done through training,
holding forums in all areas of the states on messaging, candidate
recruitment, fundraising and event management. We should also employ
technology to provide the best database systems to monitor and enhance our
grass roots development.
Technological improvements is one of my major goals and is highlighted
throughout my plans. We do have a voter file system, but we need to take it
to a much higher level. We need to enable PCOs to do real-time updates and
enhance the lists that they receive. We also should develop a data system
that does issue tracking of voters so that we can not only use it at
election time for messaging and get out the vote efforts, but can utilize it
year-round for issue advocacy and public policy influence.
Bill Phillips knew about my blog a year or so ago when I wasn't pulling 100 hits a day. Or at least had the good sense to pretend that he did. His main focus was playing offense throughout the state. Make the 8th and the 5th competative. Fight in Eastern Washington. He told me at the time:
We need to stop the rising tide of red that is threatening our state on the electoral map. With losses in the 5th and 8th Congressional Districts, we've seen that the model of finding a candidate with high name recognition and good fundraising potential just doesn't work when it comes to building a Democratic base or taking back a red area.
Similarly, we can't protect Democratic office-holders by simply shoring up our base in Democratic areas. If we continue on that path, the red tide will continue to swell and eventually overwhelm us. No matter how the Governor's race turns out, the closeness of this election shows the folly of ignoring entire portions of Washington.
We have to constantly play offense if we're going to win consistently all across Washington.
It's going to take time and patience to turn back the red tide. We're literally starting from scratch in some areas. What we'll do in those areas - Eastern Washington, for example - is focus on local races. This is what we've done with great success in the 21st LD, where I am privileged to serve as Democratic Chair.
And Kat Overman felt we could do a better job of recruitment. As well as keeping the people we already had.
Retaining the people new to the Party who came out this election cycle is of utmost importance to me. When I was Snohomish County Chair we were not blessed with the numbers of people that we have now. Over the years I have watched as the number of PCO's dwindled away. We need to reach out to these people and utilize their skills and talents. 2. The State Party's voter file needs a lot of work. During this election cycle I walked 21 precincts by myself. I must say, the lists I was given to work with left much to be desired. I want better interactive technology installed and voter information updated. 3. Of course, fund raising, fund raising, fund raising. That's essential.
And of course none of them may get into the race. And there will probably be others. But I'd like to get a sense of how the Washington Kossaks feel about who they'd want as chair.