Monday, March 26, 2007


County Chairs

I've talked to many of our current county chairs recently, some are running for re-election and others are stepping down to make room for "new blood" while others are simply being challenged for their positions. To all of the candidates I say, good luck , and thank you for being willing to run for this important office. You are an important part of the grassroots work and much of the local success we will achieve, as Democrats, in 2008 will be due to your leadership.

And to those who will cast votes for these county leaders, please carefully consider the leadership and experiences offered by the candidates. It's important to elect people who have the time and the temperament to energize, organize and mobilize others to elect Democrats. The ability to raise funds and friends are both critical to success at the county level.

What's most important to me is that after the elections on Saturday we will have 77 leaders in place who will do everything they can to insure that the nominees in each of their counties are supported and that they are putting together teams of Democrats to help us win the White House, to regain a true majority in the State Senate, to create a new Democratic majority in the State House and to add to our numbers in Congress.

If you are running, please feel free to make an announcement here.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Democrat,

We are running for Chair and Vice Chair of the Cleveland County Democratic Party. If you liked the way the CCDP operated during the 2006 election campaign, we offer continuity of leadership.

Grassroots Leadership
We understand that the central responsibility of the county party is to develop and assist our county and legislative candidates and provide help and direction to the precincts. We have extensive experience both in local political campaigns and in the local party organization. We have actively supported the great new ideas that have come from the grassroots in the past two years, including the Precinct 82 Forum for Democratic Action, the House District 45 organization, and the "More Democracy Think Tank" in North Cleveland County. We will continue to encourage and support your creative ideas in outreach, organizing, fundraising, and campaigning. We will not stifle initiative by attempting to control it.

Democratic Values
Increasingly, the political process is being dominated by expensive consultants and slick advertising that treat the voters as consumers to be manipulated. We believe in approaching the voters with honesty and respect, as our fellow citizens and neighbors. Hard-hitting truth and hard work can beat Republican big money. (Ask "Thad is Bad" Balkman!)

We believe that honest and civil discussion of our internal differences is a strength, not a weakness, of the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party is the party of diversity.

To quote Democratic National Chair Howard Dean, YOU HAVE THE POWER. The Cleveland County Democratic Party will be what you make it. If you elect us as your county officers on March 31, we will be proud to continue to serve in the front lines of this smart, hard-working organization of Democratic volunteers.




David Perry
Candidate for Cleveland County Vice Chair

Margaret Phillips
Candidate for Cleveland County Vice Chair




About David Perry, candidate for Cleveland County Chair

David Perry was the Democratic candidate for County Commissioner, District 2 in 2004. During his campaign, he coordinated precinct walks with the campaigns of Troy Green, Estelle Cash, and Brad Carson. He served as campaign manager for Jim Stanley in 2005 and 2007. Other candidates he has helped include Rachel Butler (2003), Gail Poole and Sandra Rose (2004), Tom Kovach, Wallace Collins, Cal Hobson, Hal Spake, and Leroy Krohmer (2006), and Cindy Rosenthal (2007). He leafleted against Thad Balkman with Concerned Citizens of House District 45 (2005) and organized the Raise Oklahoma initiative petition drive in Cleveland County (2006). David has been a precinct officer since 2001. Since 2005 he has volunteered many hours of computer and communication services to the CCDP, served as Cornbread & Beans moderator, and set up the CCDP campaign headquarters for 2006.

David is a computer consultant. A graduate of OU, he has lived in Cleveland County since 1978. He was formerly a high school teacher and a member of AFT and OEA.

About Margaret Phillips, candidate for Cleveland County Vice Chair

Margaret Phillips began her active involvement in politics at the age of six, leafleting for Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1964. Since moving to Cleveland County, Margaret has walked precincts for the campaigns of Ben Odom (2002), Howard Dean, Brad Carson, David Perry, Estelle Cash, and Troy Green (2004), Jim Stanley (2005 and 2007), and Tom Kovach, Wallace Collins, Leroy Krohmer, Troy Green, and Daisy Lawler (2006), as well as Get Out The Vote drives for all Democratic candidates in 2004 and 2006. She leafleted with Concerned Citizens of HD 45 (2005-2006) and helped lead the Raise Oklahoma initiative petition drive (2006). Since becoming active in the CCDP in 2005, Margaret has served as House District 44 Coordinator, Finance Committee Secretary, and County Vice Chair. She has been County Chair by succession since August 2006.

Margaret received a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Illinois and a Masters in Industrial Hygiene from Johns Hopkins University. She worked as an occupational safety and health professional in private industry. She came to Oklahoma in 1996 to join the faculty of OU Health Sciences Center, where she is an Associate Professor of Occupational and Environmental Health.

Anonymous said...

Elaine, Tom & Joe: The Winning Team for Cleveland County Democrats!

Elaine Hobson for County Chair

“As Democrats, we've known all along what principles we stand for. Now we're seeing more of the "undecided" and "don't know, don't care" crowd realizing that they believe in these same Democratic principles. We have the Republicans on the run, and it is more crucial than ever that we pull together with a focus that we have not had, and get Democrats elected to office at all levels.

Our future is very bright as a party. It is up to us to make that future a reality. Tom, Joe and I have worked together before and we make a great team. We want to work together for the good of our party.”

Elaine is a life-long Democrat. She is a Speech Language Pathologist. Elaine has a long history of political action. In the 1970s, she was advocate for school teachers and education. Elaine served as chair of the Educators of Moore Political Action Committee, and has managed several Democratic campaigns. In 2006, she managed Cal Hobson’s campaign for Lt. Governor.

She currently serves as a precinct officer. Her husband is former State Senate leader, Cal Hobson.

* * * *

Tom Robinson for County Vice-Chair

“We need to re-build our party and bring people back at the local level. We need to reach out to young people to support the historic values and goals of our party. We need a local party organization that will support all of our Party’s candidates and work at the grassroots level.

I have heard from many county Democrats who want us to return our precinct meetings to our neighborhoods.

I completely agree. If I am elected as your County Vice-Chair, I will promote and support local precinct meetings.”

Tom and his wife, EAnn, are both Democrats and precinct officers. Tom is a science teacher at Norman High School. Tom has held a union card since he was 16, and has been a leader in the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union (OCAW). After being laid off in the oil bust in Oklahoma, Tom went back to college in his 40's and became a teacher. In 2006, Tom courageously ran as the Democratic Party nominee in HD 46 because he felt that area needed a Democratic voice in the legislature, and spoke with many Democrats in his district who had never had a candidate come to their door.

* * * *

Joe Carter for County Secretary

“I am running for county secretary because I am a small business Democrat. Small business, more than anyone, has been hurt by corporate welfare, and the Democratic Party has been the most supportive of policies that favor small business instead of large corporations.”

Dr. Carter is past president of the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association. He is the volunteer medical director for the Wildcare Foundation in Noble, an animal rehabilitation center that treats over 3,000 patients annually. He continues to serve as an officer in his precinct.

Dr. Carter is a graduate of Moore High School. He and his wife, Terri, have three children who have all attended Norman Public Schools. Dr. Carter has campaigned for the passage of several school bond issues. He has led many fundraising events for Democratic candidates, including County Commissioner Leroy Krohmer, Governor Brad Henry, and Vice-Presidential candidate John Edwards.

Anonymous said...

Mike Workman for Tulsa County Secretary
Wednesday 28-March-2007


Those who know me well will not be at all surprised that I am announcing for Secretary of the Tulsa County Democratic Party by posting an internet message and by email. I'll start by asking that those who are in more than one online group with me to please forgive getting more than one copy of this message! ;^)

I became a Democrat in 1973 and have been a longtime activist within our Democratic Party at several levels. I have been active within county, district, and state levels of the Oklahoma Democratic Party since I came to Oklahoma in 2000.

I was elected as the Democratic Precinct Chair for Tulsa County Precinct #121 for both 2005-07 and 2007-09. The precinct includes the Kingspointe Center and covers an area northwest of South Yale Avenue and East 61st Street. I was previously an elected Democratic Precinct Chair in four other counties in another state.

I have served as an elected state delegate to every state Democratic Party convention since 1973 in either Texas and most recently in 2005 in Oklahoma.

In the 2006 general election, I was the Democratic nominee for State Representative for District #70. While I was not able to unseat a 3-term Republican incumbent in a very Republican district, I am proud that of those that faced incumbents, I was the top-vote-getter of the five challengers in Tulsa County and 4th in Oklahoma.

I ask that you consider the backgrounds of all candidates for this and other offices and vote as you see fit this Saturday 31-March-2007 at the convention of the Tulsa County Democratic Party. I do ask that you consider my extensive background and I do ask for your support on the first ballot and on any run-offs that may occur!

In the next few days, I'll be sending you more about my background and hope to catch as many of you as possible by telephone. You may call me at 918-743-8165 h/o.

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M+I+K+E
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More
Involvement
Kindles
Enthusiasm
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M+I+K+E
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For County Secretary, 2007-09
Tulsa County Democratic Party

918-743-8165
mkworkman@yahoo.com