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Regardless of who wins the
2020 nomination of the Democratic Party for U.S. President,
the Lucas County Democratic Party needs to get its own act
together.
40,000 to 50,000 Democrats
stayed home in the 2018 Ohio gubernatorial race. The local
Party is in poor financial shape, say some. The cupboard of
new and fresh quality candidates to replace soon retiring or
termed-out veteran Lucas County politicians is bare.
Moreover, northwest Ohio is no longer a political player on
the state and national stage. Once a favored destination on
the campaign trail, presidential candidates are no longer
making nearly as many stops in our area as they have in the
past.
What is the reason for the
Lucas County Dems’ lack of relevance and apparent lack of
effectiveness?
Recent incidents reveal
several internal Party problems that are boiling but hidden
beneath the surface.
City Council President
Matt Cherry, in what seemed like a “unilateral, strong-arm”
move, appointed Katie Bibish to replace former Councilwoman
Sandy Spang’s at-large seat without consulting the Party.
This was an embarrassing affront to Democratic Party Chair
Kurt Young, who had earlier placed an ad in The Blade
inviting interested parties to screen for the position.
Besides, several
councilmembers also felt that they were overlooked and did
not have the opportunity to provide input or express their
feelings about the appointment. Although Cherry later
apologized, the move bruised Cherry’s relationship with a
few exasperated councilmembers who felt that the council
president single-handedly snatched a “fair shake” away from
minorities and other potential candidates such as Keith
Jordan, a well-known local community advocate.
Another boiling issue has
been the Party’s decision to “hold back” on endorsing Toledo
City Councilman Gary Johnson for Lucas County Sheriff in the
March primary. The Dems’ bylaws, insiders say, only require
there to be no endorsement “when there are two or more
quality candidates.”
However, Mike Navarre
chose not to screen for the endorsement. Candidates Chris
Delaney and Dan Raab chose not to file their petitions and
Earl Mack will run as an Independent, leaving only Gary
Johnson as the sole Democratic Party candidate who actually
screened.
The Party, some reason,
has so far withheld its endorsement due to the popularity of
candidates Mack and Navarre, and that decision has generated
further internal conflict. “There’s an endorsement process
in place. You can’t change the rules to accommodate your own
personal agenda or somebody you like,” one Party member told
me.
How does the Lucas County
Democratic Party, described by another insider, as “a ship
with a broken rudder sailing into a 2020 Presidential
Election storm,” become relevant again?
Look for significant
changes to take place. The Northwest Ohio Building Trades
Council has quietly worked behind the scenes to help
increase their representation on the central committee. This
strategic intervention will help the group regain its former
clout and provide an opportunity to exert more influence in
the Dems’ decision-making.
Meanwhile, the boiling
beneath the surface continues to make the seat of Kurt
Young, current Lucas County Democratic Party Chairman,
extremely warm. The Party needs strong leadership,
fundraising, the ability to recruit critical volunteers and
quality candidates, and someone to stop the in-house
fighting.
I would not be surprised
to see others, such as former State Representative Mike
Ashford, emerge before the pressure causes the Party to
explode.
Contact Rev. Donald Perryman, D.Min, at
drdlperryman@centerofhopebaptist.org
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