No Endorsement for Delmas Parker seeking 4th term as Vice Chair

(2010) Delmas Parker seeks a 4th term.

After three consecutive terms as the state party's Second Vice Chair, Delmas Parker wants yet another term.  The 72-year-old Clemmons resident doesn't actually need your vote to win because he's running unopposed -- for now.

Politically, times have changed drastically for Democrats in North Carolina. And the leadership that once worked now needs an upgrade. After six consecutive years on the state party's executive council, it's time for  Delmas to put aside his personal ambitions and consider what's best for the North Carolina Democratic Party to take control back from the GOP.

 Delmas has run unopposed before and is currently unopposed again in this bid for a 4th term. Delmas has served as the state party's Second Vice Chair under Jerry Meek in 2005 and 2007, again under David Young in 2009 term and now wants a fourth term to stay on through 2013.

Ordinarily it would appear Delmas has broad support but that is not the case.  Delmas simply has run unopposed for the Second Vice Chair office time after time and winning by default does not rise to the level of a clear mandate by the people. While all other executive offices have seen several candidates competing for the win, Delmas's position has gone uncontested too many times and alludes to more sinister undertones of candidate intimidation. 

Prior to seeking party office, Delmas Parker ran for State House in 2003 and lost to Cass Ballenger by a wide margin (29% to 68%). Both men ran unopposed in their primary election and we recognize Delmas for bravely trying to unseat a republican incumbent in a solid GOP district 11 years ago. 

However, we can not endorse Delmas Parker for three reasons:

• After three consecutive terms and six years on the executive council, it is time to move on and allow others with modern ideas and different perspectives to help lead the party

• Despite his long service to the party, Delmas was a part of the 2009-2011"Missing In Action"administration under David Young and is responsible for the party's mid-term losses statewide

• Delmas serves formally on the board of a pseudo-auxiliary club that falsely portrays itself as an arm of the state party.  Delmas's participation on this board encourages party infighting over unity by promoting and portraying an ideology-based club as an auxiliary in exchange for its "endorsement" at state party elections. Delmas's work on their behalf violates the NCDP Plan of Organization on two fronts. First, the Plan does not recognize clubs organized by ideology. Second, the Plan does not permit internal group endorsements among competing democrats. Only individual endorsement are permitted*

• Delmas has no personal experience winning elections having run unopposed each time.

We strongly encourage Delmas Parker to graciously withdraw from this race in the interest of allowing others the opportunity to bring forth new ideas and energies to help lead the party to victory.  If anyone is considering running for party office, now is the time to come forward and join the Second Vice Chair race -- if only to give the state executive council members a choice of options -- something it hasn't seen in six years. 
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*Until Delmas's non-auxiliary group stops making candidate endorsements in state party races, NCDPpolitics will counter with endorsements of its own. Live by the sword, die by the sword.