Local Democrat Supporters See Newfound Optimism
April 14, 2018 at 2:56 a.m.
Local Democrat Supporters See Newfound Optimism
By Dan [email protected]
A sense of hope has been almost as distant as a victory in recent decades for local Democrats.
While Dems have won a few seats at the township and town council level in recent years, there has not been a Democrat elected to Warsaw City Council in nearly two decades and the absence in elected county positions is at least twice as long.
Whether they can win any major seats in the upcoming mid-term elections won’t be decided until November, but there are signs the party is growing stronger.
That was apparent at Mad Anthony’s Monday when the county organization met for its monthly meeting. Organizers have seen a steady rise in attendance in recent months, but Monday’s turnout was the largest in at least 30 years, according to longtime party supporter Steve Haines.
They’ve also seen an uptick in finances that is allowing them to provide some candidates with much-needed campaign cash. Such a move this early in the election season hasn’t happened in a while.
And while Democrats have often struggled over the years to find enough supporters to staff the polling stations on Election Day, organizers have already filled all of the spots.
“The party is on the move and growing,” said Brian Smith, the 29-year-old party chairman who took the reigns in March 2017 shortly after Donald Trump arrived in the White House.
He said they’ve worked hard to expand their circle of influence by holding a series of rallies, including one supporting the DACA program for undocumented immigrants. He said he’s also working to reach out to Hispanics to get them more involved.
The number of candidates is also on the rise. This year, Dems will challenge Republicans for a county commissioners race, two county council races, five township trustee races and have 11 candidates running for township advisory boards.
At Monday night’s meeting, Smith asked supporters to ignore the Republican primary despite the fact the sheriff’s race could be decided in the May 8 primary.
“Please do not cross over to the Republican primary,” Smith pleaded. “I know it’s tempting to vote in the sheriff’s election. Let them handle their business and we’ll handle our business.”
He called for a big showing that would “blow the doors off” conventional wisdom and asked supporters to get involved in summer parades with the party.
“We need to show that we are proud to be Democrats in Kosciusko County,” he said.
Haines, a former chairman for county Democrats, credits Smith’s ability to get younger people involved, but suggests timing has had something to do with it.
“Donald Trump has made young people get involved in politics,” Haines said.
Aside from an increased amount of money, poll workers and candidates, the political environment has also spurred some activism among local Democrats.
Jeanne Stafford-Phipps describes herself as a longtime Democrat who canvassed for former President Barack Obama in 2008. She just recently started getting involved with the party organization and attended Monday’s meeting.
Earlier this year, she took it a step further and helped organize a local meeting under the name Moms Demand Action, a national organization aimed at reducing gun violence.
She said she was spurred to take action following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.
The group, she said, is trying to achieve improved awareness about gun safety.
“We are not anti-gun,” Stafford Phipps said. “We are anti-gun violence.”
The group is a non-partisan organization and its first meeting attracted about 50 people. The group has another meeting scheduled at Warsaw Community Public Library on April 30.
The mother of two was asked if she expects the so-called blue wave to reverberate through Kosciusko County.
“I’ve lived here for 14 years and it’s hard to envision, but I’m optimistic about the way things are looking,” she said.
A sense of hope has been almost as distant as a victory in recent decades for local Democrats.
While Dems have won a few seats at the township and town council level in recent years, there has not been a Democrat elected to Warsaw City Council in nearly two decades and the absence in elected county positions is at least twice as long.
Whether they can win any major seats in the upcoming mid-term elections won’t be decided until November, but there are signs the party is growing stronger.
That was apparent at Mad Anthony’s Monday when the county organization met for its monthly meeting. Organizers have seen a steady rise in attendance in recent months, but Monday’s turnout was the largest in at least 30 years, according to longtime party supporter Steve Haines.
They’ve also seen an uptick in finances that is allowing them to provide some candidates with much-needed campaign cash. Such a move this early in the election season hasn’t happened in a while.
And while Democrats have often struggled over the years to find enough supporters to staff the polling stations on Election Day, organizers have already filled all of the spots.
“The party is on the move and growing,” said Brian Smith, the 29-year-old party chairman who took the reigns in March 2017 shortly after Donald Trump arrived in the White House.
He said they’ve worked hard to expand their circle of influence by holding a series of rallies, including one supporting the DACA program for undocumented immigrants. He said he’s also working to reach out to Hispanics to get them more involved.
The number of candidates is also on the rise. This year, Dems will challenge Republicans for a county commissioners race, two county council races, five township trustee races and have 11 candidates running for township advisory boards.
At Monday night’s meeting, Smith asked supporters to ignore the Republican primary despite the fact the sheriff’s race could be decided in the May 8 primary.
“Please do not cross over to the Republican primary,” Smith pleaded. “I know it’s tempting to vote in the sheriff’s election. Let them handle their business and we’ll handle our business.”
He called for a big showing that would “blow the doors off” conventional wisdom and asked supporters to get involved in summer parades with the party.
“We need to show that we are proud to be Democrats in Kosciusko County,” he said.
Haines, a former chairman for county Democrats, credits Smith’s ability to get younger people involved, but suggests timing has had something to do with it.
“Donald Trump has made young people get involved in politics,” Haines said.
Aside from an increased amount of money, poll workers and candidates, the political environment has also spurred some activism among local Democrats.
Jeanne Stafford-Phipps describes herself as a longtime Democrat who canvassed for former President Barack Obama in 2008. She just recently started getting involved with the party organization and attended Monday’s meeting.
Earlier this year, she took it a step further and helped organize a local meeting under the name Moms Demand Action, a national organization aimed at reducing gun violence.
She said she was spurred to take action following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.
The group, she said, is trying to achieve improved awareness about gun safety.
“We are not anti-gun,” Stafford Phipps said. “We are anti-gun violence.”
The group is a non-partisan organization and its first meeting attracted about 50 people. The group has another meeting scheduled at Warsaw Community Public Library on April 30.
The mother of two was asked if she expects the so-called blue wave to reverberate through Kosciusko County.
“I’ve lived here for 14 years and it’s hard to envision, but I’m optimistic about the way things are looking,” she said.
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