“I walked out of the meeting in Denver, Colorado (ASDC, the Association of State Democratic Chairs) and thought: no one is presenting a 21st century way to look at the problem. Most in attendance seemed dismayed we hadn’t really confronted the problems that caused the loss in November.”
And with that, Sally Boynton Brown, executive Director of the Idaho Democratic Party, decided it was the right time to run for chair of the Democratic Party. “I think we need to send a clear signal that we got the message of the electorate. We need to look at why people aren’t invested in our party. Why are so many people not voting, or refusing to associate with a party altogether? These are the critical questions we are avoiding entirely.”
Speaking to issues inside the party, Sally countered that if nothing else, we need more voices. “I think, no matter what, we have changed the conversation on what the role of the chair is supposed to look like.”
Brown suggested that in the State Chairs meeting, many felt as though there was a lot still up in the air on what kind of responsibilities the chair actually has, and what they can do in the role they inhabit. “But the Chair of the DNC has one big role — and that is to frame what it actually means to be a Democrat.”
Boyton-Brown has spoken similar thoughts in interviews with NPR and during her forum in Phoenix for the DNC. “What does it really mean to be a Democrat in America 2017? What identifies a Democrat?”
Her key argument is that Republicans have framed the debate, pushing Democratic party members into corners by defining the Democratic brand where Democratic party members were unable to do so. “We can do better. There is a temptation to get our chairs to talk about policy, and I’m not going to take that bait — that is something that is up to elected officials. But we have to have an easy to identify core.”
Many of the candidates, especially those not named Perez or Ellison, are confronted with the fundraising question right off the top of the bat: “Raising money is about making not just the right ask but giving people a reason to come on board. I think if DNC members choose me in February, it will be a sign that we are taking very seriously the idea of rebooting our party and evaluating the internal and external problems from a new perspective. That is what I really bring to the table, a new perspective.”
With so many candidates running for Party Chair, many candidates have felt the pressure to drop down and run for a vice chair slot. “Nope. I understand idea of it, and if I was running to promote my career, that would certainly be a thought. But I’m happy as a state executive director and a chair of the state executive directors. I’m not considering dropping into another race. I’m running so that I can take this case to more Democratic members nationwide.”
Sally Boynton-Brown will appear at all the remaining DNC Future Forums.
More in this Series:
Jaime Harrison Makes His Pitch
Keith Ellison Talks About The Future of the Party
Raymond Buckley on Democratic Goals
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