That incumbent is 74-year-old Delmas Parker. Unfortunately, Delmas has done little to help democratic candidates win during the disastrous 2010 midterm elections. Instead, Delmas prefers to wield power within the party, over the rank and file party members and bend the rules -- of the North Carolina Plan of Organization -- to suit his needs and his allies.
Delmas, a close ally of former chair Jerry Meek, was content to sit back and watch Meek's hand-picked successor David Young bungle the party's grassroots efforts and funding. Like Meek, Delmas also stayed closely aligned with the Progressive Democrats of North Carolina, even acting as their unofficial spokesman within the state's executive board.
Delmas's best days are behind him. His age isn't really the issue as much as his penchant for ignoring the Plan of Organization's prescribed rules, regulations and processes. He actively runs interference to protect party officers from disciplinary action (as long as they are members of the Progressives democrat group) for working against democratic candidates deemed not liberal enough.
Delmas rarely communicates with the party's active base because he's confident his pseudo-auxiliary club members will insure him another term. Unfortunately, Delmas's actions cost the party time, money and other resources in order to appease a non-auxilliary club all for the guarantee of their voting block. They keep him in office and he will protect their members despite rogue behaviors.
We can not endorse anyone who would encourage division inside the party by helping a sect of highly liberal democrats to ridicule, harass and malign the reputations of less-liberal democrats and the party's more moderate candidates. The hardcore recruiting must begin today!
It is imperative that someone step up to challenge Delmas for the Second Vice Chair office. Delmas has served on the party's state board in other positions but times have changed. It's time for fresh ideas, energetic work ethic, integrity to treat all democrats fairly and to follow the party's organizational regulations and procedures.
It's time for a new face on the state executive board and it's time for Delmas to step aside.
