It takes a certain amount of self-delusion and narcissism to seek a second or third term after doing a lousy job leading a democratic party organization but that's parr for the course in Wake County.
The Wake County Democratic Party just published its list of announced candidates running for county party office. And by "just" we mean "this morning" and by "announced" we mean "unopposed."
This "announced" list of WCDP candidates was literally buried among the long list of attachments to the WCDP's county convention news posting on the wakedems.org website rather than being posted openly, front and center, as an actual news item designed to inform area democrats.
This list of unopposed candidates seeking office to the state's largest county party are predominantly the same ineffective county party officers that led Wake County through a string of still-stinging election defeats. Sadly, the list of candidates features only three new faces among the nine seats.
What happens if they run unopposed?
Unless other democrats intend to run against these candidates, we can expect more of the same horrendous election results that plagued Wake's County Commissioner race, County School Board race and state legislature races, just to name a few.
So far, the unopposed list of candidates include Lindy Brown and Watt Jones as welcomed fresh faces. Ditto John Verdejo who is also running for the NC Super Delegate seat (vacated by now-NCDP Chair David Parker) to be decided later this month. Here's who's running unopposed, for now:
- Chair Candidate(s): Mack Paul (seeks 2nd term)
- 1st Vice Chair Candidate(s): Lindy Brown (former county commissioner)
- 2nd Vice Chair Candidate(s): Steven Hill (seeks 2nd term)
- 3rd Vice Chair Candidate(s): John Verdejo
- Raleigh Vice Chair Candidate(s): Dan Blue III (seeks 2nd term on board, previously County's 3rd Vice Chair)
- Cary Vice Chair Candidate(s): Ruth Merkle (seeks 3rd term)
- Wake Vice Chair Candidate(s): Watt Jones
- Secretary Candidate(s): Stephanie Goslen (seeks 2nd term)
- Treasurer Candidate(s): Chris Lizak (seeks 3rd term)
Progressive Dems Infiltration?
For those of you among the Gene Messick readership, we've researched and identified those announced WCDP officer candidates who are also members and officers of the Wake County Progressive Democrats group.
As Mr. Messick has accurately pointed out numerous times in his own NCDP newsletters, the Wake County Progressive Democrats continue falsely posing as a bonafide party auxiliary club in violation of the state party's rules and regulations,* abusing party resources by hosting their own meetings at the state headquarters each month and presenting a Scratch-My-Back-&-I'll-Scratch-Yours endorsement list of progressive dems. club members cheerfully pitting democrats against each other at county and state conventions in order to increase the progressive dems' ranks within the party. These so-called "Progressives Dems" now want to lead the state's largest county party:
- John Verdejo - member of county progressives group (scan group's members list at link's site)
- Ruth Merkle - longtime, active member of county progressives group
- Stephanie Goslen - two-term treasurer of false auxiliary club Wake Progressive Dems, husband Jesse Goslen was past president of this pretend-auxiliary club.
- Chris Lizak - Raleigh & Wake County Progressive Dems. Assoc. Chapter Vice Chair, 2nd Congressional District PDA Point Person, wife Kathi currently serves as group's secretary
The Quiet Man
On a different note, Mack Paul has yet to connect himself with Wake County democrats via Facebook, Twitter or other social media since he began serving as county chair. Paul was selected by his predecessor Jack Nichols, former WCDP chair and member of the Wake County Progressive Democrats club, who vacated his office to run again for Wake County commissioner only to lose again in a string of failed campaigns.
Paul's own background is rather questionable for the possible leader of the state's largest county Democratic Party. Based on his legal clients, most notably Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina where he served as associate legal counsel, Paul worked for the insurance company's interests, not its customers. He also "did the lawyering" for FMZ Real Estate, a Charlotte partnership seeking to push high density rezoning in Raleigh to build 1,000 'sky-high' condos inside a single-home-zoned section. The Raleigh City Council has delayed action on this pending matter according to TheIndy reporter Bob Geary.
You can tell a lot about an attorney by the clients he chooses to serve.
411 for Potential Candidates: Get Email Addresses
Unlike Mecklenberg County Democratic Party, WCDP seems intent upon sticking with the old ways of smoke-filled backroom deals that keep power among the few insiders intent on personal agendas and personal gain.
However, there's still time for other candidates to come forward and effectively challenge these all-but-one incompetent, incumbents of WCDP.
How? Start by contacting both WCDP Chair Mack Paul (chair@wakedems.org & mack.paul@klgates.com) and his administrative assistant Tammy Brunner (admin@wakedems.org) directly (A) by email to request a copy of the convention's voting delegates list and (B) specify it includes email addresses.
Nevermind that the current board of WCDP officers passed a policy recently to withhold email addresses from precinct officers to "protect the privacy" of Wake County democrats who've voluntarily given their email address to the WCDP for the purposes of helping the party save money and receiving information more promptly and conveniently. Ask anyway and do it in writing.
We're still puzzled by WCDP chair Mack Paul refusal to provide precinct officers with Wake County democrats' email addresses while gladly providing their home addresses and phone numbers! Obviously, withholding convention delegates (read: precinct officers) email addresses gives incumbent county party officers like Mack Paul a distinct election advantage. Specifically, it allows incumbents to quietly communicate with all convention delegates electronically while other new candidates can only reach convention delegates by mail or phone - a slow, arduous and outdated process.
NCDPpolitics calls out Mack Paul and his fellow current board members for blocking democracy, lacking integrity and blatant unfairness in this ploy to exclude other Wake County democrats from effectively campaigning against incumbents to lead the state's largest county party. This shell game needs to end if Wake County is to recover its public election losses.
Again, unlike Mecklenburg County Democratic Party convention last weekend, WCDP's convention typically has its delegates scratching their heads at the so-called convention "election" of county officers when all those elected ran unopposed. Delegates rarely get the chance to vote for officers because all races are uncontested and winners are decided by acclamation, a groovy parliamentary word for "unopposed."
It's time to change this tradition before it happens again. Wake County can't afford to continue operating like an elementary school PTA committee.
WCDP Candidate Endorsements
NCDPpolitics will post its Wake County DP candidate endorsements before the convention on Saturday, April 16th. If you plan to run for a county party board officer seat in Wake County, let us know. We'll answer your questions on what's involved and point you to the right sources for detailed information.
We urge you to step up now! Throw your hat in the ring and let us know!
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* Sections 0.03 and 11.3 of NCDP's Plan of Organization.
