« Props to DavidNYC | Main | DNC Chair Election »
Saturday, January 08, 2005
DNC: Western Regional Caucus
Posted by Bob BrighamOn January 22nd, the Western Regional Caucus of the DNC will meet in Sacramento California. Bob Mulholland (the first Democratic Party official to credential bloggers) is going to allow me to blog the meetings. BTW: Read Bob's Blog -- it is the best use of blogging by any state party.
Note that the DNC Western Regional Caucus isn't so much as a geographic descrpition but rather it is 1/4 of the DNC. As such, it includes: Alaska, American Somoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
The conference doesn't have internet access so I won't be live blogging. But you'll have the opportunity to get the inside scoop on the hopes, disappointments, and gossip from western Democrat leaders. There will also be a Q&A that is expected to be attend by all candidates for DNC Chair.
Kari Chisholm at Western Democrat asks, "Western Super Tuesday? Convention in the West?":
The first is a Western Super Tuesday - a single day when many (if not most) of the Western states would host a primary election. Obviously, this would require action by the many state legislatures - and would probably have to be lead by the Secretaries of State in those states.The second idea is a Democratic Convention in the inland West - something that's never happened. Since 1960, the convention has been in California twice (SF 1984, LA 2000) but otherwise never west of Chicago. This would require action by the DNC, perhaps more achievable.
I'm a believer in fundamental reform of the Democratic primary calendar. Power grabs are how we ended up here in the first place and I think our primary calendar should be created strategically. That said, I think such reform will inevitably benefit the west and should create a situation where a western state has the influence currently monopolized by New Hampshire and Iowa. The best strategy for increasing the voice of the west may be as strategy of supporting reform.
As for the second point, I believe it is a brilliant idea and long overdue.
Posted at 04:00 PM in DNC Chair | Technorati
Comments
We're trying to judge interest in running campaigns for the Western Super Tuesday and Western DNC Convention ideas - so come on over to WesternDemocrat.com and let us know what you think!
Posted by: Kari Chisholm at January 8, 2005 05:10 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment