This isn’t a surprise to Democratic Party insiders but California Vice Chair and LA County Chair Eric Bauman has officially announced he’s running for Chair of the California Democratic Party on a platform of unity. We sure could use some of that in Orange County.
Here’s his letter:
Dear Friends,
Watching these Republican debates gets more infuriating as the election season rolls into 2016. And those at the helm of the GOP Clown Car seem intent on careening their way across the finish line, no matter how embarrassing their hateful rhetoric is to our nation.
And while on the Democratic Party side we have our own Primary battles to contend with, we must be careful not to let the contest for the nomination tear us apart. There is too much at stake for an internal fight among our activists and members to allow us to take our eyes off the end goal.
It is for this very reason that I have been hesitant to get into a conversation about intra-party elections that don’t even take place until the late spring of 2017. I am a candidate for Chair of the California Democratic Party when Chairman Burton’s term ends, but I firmly believe that now is the time to focus on things that bring us together, not things that divide us.
And that is why, even though others have already started their own full-fledged campaigns for Chair of the CDP, I remain focused on defeating Republicans and electing strong progressives in 2016, not on internal party elections.
As Chair of the LA County Democratic Party, I was proud to have all three Democratic Presidential candidates participate at our recent Roosevelt Dinner. Watch a snippet of their remarks here – along with a few words from me about the reasons why we must stay united and be prepared to come together again after the Primaries.
As the elected Vice-Chair of the California Democratic Party and Chair of the LA County Democratic Party, I have a responsibility, indeed an obligation, to devote my time and energy to helping our Party, our leaders and our activists prepare for the 2016 elections, so that we can regain our legislative super-majorities, increase our hold on California’s Congressional delegation, win important ballot measure victories and help our colleagues in the fight to regain the US Senate.
That is why as I have traveled the state this year from Alameda, San Francisco, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and San Mateo, down to Santa Barbara, Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, and San Diego, out to Amador, Placer and Sacramento – I have focused my time training, motivating and exciting our activists to gear up for next year’s important battles. And why I have been pushing for increases in healthcare funding and changes in healthcare and poverty policies to assist those who are at greatest risk.
That is why I traveled to Fresno to help ensure we can fight for the issues critical to the Central Valley, and why I pulled together a crucial meeting between the leaders of the CDP Rural Caucus and a delegation of legislators from LA and the Bay Area to start a long overdue dialogue about how urban legislators can help our colleagues in the red and rural portions of our state.
I am heartened by the hundreds of friends who have already given me their early and unsolicited support in my bid to be your next Chair, including CDP Vice-Chair Alex Gallardo-Rooker, Legislative Black Caucus Chair Reggie Jones-Sawyer, Solano County Democratic Party Chair Brigette Hunley, CDP Regional Director Susie Shannon, BOE Member Fiona Ma, DNC Western Regional Chair Aleita Huguenin and most recently the New Frontier Democratic Club – the oldest and largest African American Democratic Club in California.
And since it is clear that others are advancing the timeline for this race, I ask you today for your early support.
But then I ask you to quickly turn your attention back to the important struggles at hand. I thank you all for the hard work that you do year-in and year-out to make our Democratic Party strong. As I have said many times before – nothing is more powerful than our Democratic activists looking voters in the eyes and speaking from the heart about the important issues facing Californians.
I hope that you have a good holiday season and ask that you head into the New Year focused on what is truly at stake in the vital elections of 2016.
Am enemy of Greg Diamonds is a friend of mine.
Eric has long been the single strongest advocate I’ve ever met for the core values and beliefs of the Democratic Party. For the more than 20 years that I have known him, I have not seen a greater champion for progressive values and helping California’s at-risk communities. Eric’s leadership, both as chair of the LA County Democratic Party and as the vice-chair of the California Democratic Party, has been integral in keeping California a solidly blue state, even at times when the rest of the country was turning bright red. His personal integrity has made him the confidant of top elected officials, both in California and nationwide, and I am confident that as Chairman of the CA Democratic Party, Eric will foster those relationships, and build new relationships with key and diverse Democratic leaders – old and young, new and veteran, black and white, gay and straight, female and male – to further the values of his party. I can think of no one better to lead the California Democratic Party into the next decade and the next generation. I wholeheartedly, and without reservation, endorse his candidacy.
“There is too much at stake for an internal fight among our activists and members to allow us to take our eyes off the end goal.”
This is EXACTLY what OC Democrats have been saying and are concerned with!
When you have a loose cannon type of extremist like GREG DIAMOND, calling party stalwarts “Dirty Son Of A Bitch”, when you accuse the leading congressional candidate of willfully killing people, when you are so irresponsible and insubordinate to call the local elected leader a cheater and a liar. You put our party at risk.
I can’t stand the insider politics that these guys roll around in, but I vote, spend my money (unlike Greg and his cadre of blogger buddies, I have a job), What exactly does Diamond hope to change other than getting his EXTREMIST Views and his family inserted into county party politics.
I support Eric, my late brother would too!