Up for contention are all six state representative offices throughout the county and the state senate seat now held by Noah Wenger. Six State Democratic Committee positions, representing the entire county, will also be on the upcoming ballot. The Convention will also endorse a candidate for the 16th Congressional District. Democrats are actively seeking candidates for these positions and any county Democrat interested in running this year should contact Bruce Beardsley, County Chairman, at 808-2116 or 299-5701.
In recapping last year’s Democratic successes, County Chair Bruce Beardsley called Nov. 8, 2005 “our greatest Election Day in modern history. We elected a record 30 local Democrats, almost quadrupling the number of elected Democrats in the county. We want to continue that momentum this year. Our top priority will be to help defeat Republican incumbent Senator Rick Santorum.”
Strategies for electing a new U.S. Senator will be one of the hot topics during several workshop sessions which will bridge the formal presentations and the endorsement voting. A noon luncheon will start the proceedings with an update on state politics by Don Moribito, the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania State Democratic Committee. The business session, beginning at 1:15pm, will include a State of the Party address by Bruce Beardsley, and a keynote address by Art DeCoursey, Northeast Political Director for the Democratic National Committee. Mr. DeCoursey, active in Democratic politics most of his life, has held key positions in the Clinton, Gore, and Kerry campaigns. When Howard Dean assumed the chairmanship of the DNC, he tapped Mr. DeCoursey for his current position to help build a stronger party through grass roots activism. After several break-out workshop sessions, the day’s events will conclude with approval of the Party’s Strategic Plan and candidate endorsements.
Although voting is limited to elected and appointed committee people, Beardsley encourages all Lancaster County Democrats to attend this year’s convention/workshop, which is free. “There is a new energy in the Lancaster Democratic Party. This annual convention is a great time for all county Democrats to become actively involved in the political process. Meet candidates, express your views, and learn how to elect Democrats at all levels of government,” Beardsley declared.
Reservations are encouraged for the luncheon, costing $12 per person, which can be made by contacting Democratic headquarters at 299-5701 or lcdchq@epix.net. For additional information about the Lancaster County Democratic Committee, visit www.lancasterdems.com.
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