I would like to thank the candidates for Chair of the DPW who took the time out of their very busy schedules to answer the Blogging Blue 9 question email interview. I hope our Democratic readers all took the time the read them so they can make an educated choice at the convention this weekend.
We are blessed with very strong candidates this year who all could lead the state party effectively. And I would like to thank Martha Laning in particular for her vision and efforts to move the party into the 21st Century political climate!
But I see 2018 as a particularly important inflection point in both national and state politics. We have an opportunity to replace Governor Scott Walker and House Speaker Paul Ryan but haven’t had any viable candidates announce a campaign yet. And we need to hold our US Senate seat and re-elect Senator Tammy Baldwin to another term. And despite a gerrymandered red Wisconsin we need to field other candidates who are capable of taking on Republicans across the state and hold them accountable for the nonsense going on in Washington DC and Madison WI. We can’t wait until 2020 when President Trump is up for re-election himself.
So I am endorsing a very strong candidate for party chair…someone who is a current elected official…who is an effective fundraiser…effective organizer…and who has done kind of thing before…Glendale Mayor Bryan Kennedy.
I liked what both Martha and Bryan said regarding their “vision” on what the Dems need to do in moving the party forward. I liked their emphasis on organizing year round with the development of “neighborhood teams” that build a grassroots infrastructure in every part of the state!
Both Martha and Bryan have great background experiences in communication skills, organizing skills, and political experiences which include running for elective offices.
BUT…I know more about Martha’s leadership abilities. Her organizing efforts to get a “Generations Center” built in Plymouth were remarkable. This beautiful facility provides the space needed for senior services and activities while having a childcare center that allows intergenerational relationships to flourish. That facility has strengthened our community!
I worked in Martha’s campaign for the Wisconsin 9th Senate District seat. The experiences she had in running a campaign, communicating with voters, and evaluating the Dem party election support structure along the way made for great background experiences for her next challenge as Wisconsin’s Democratic Party Chairperson.
As the state party leader these past two years, she has initiated changes in helping candidates get services, in adding needed staffing, improving communications, organizing, and continuing her abilities to raise money to support the new initiatives.
I want to see her efforts come to fruition in moving the Dem party forward. That is why I think it is important that she continue as the Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairperson!!!