“Nobody is more responsible for the historic success of our Party…”
Jesse Chadderdon is right to heap laurels on the head of outgoing NCC Dem Chair, Whatshisname. But I think “he welcomed new people into the Party, kept long-serving members meaningfully engaged” does not do justice to how the outgoing chair dragged the party into the modern era by allowing Democratic Party voters to decide primaries – not the party. As Joe Biden might have said, that’s a big fucking deal.
While there are still some hold out RDs where the good old boys still jealously guard their little bit of power, and sure Bethany Hall Long types will do everything they can to return the days of the backroom deal – but, in large part thanks to Dave’s hard work, the genie has escaped the bottle.
Nobody is more responsible for the historic success of our Party than Dave Woodside. He’s smart, he’s fair, he’s creative, he’s open-minded, he’s driven, and more than anything, he cares far more about doing right by the Party than any one person’s ego – including his own.
The results in New Castle County speak for themselves: five seats flipped from red to blue, zero seats lost to the GOP, and historic turnout two years running. But it didn’t happen by accident. Dave was a key driver of innovative programs that funneled critical resources to where they could do the most good. He welcomed new people into the Party, kept long-serving members meaningfully engaged, and made sure every single process over which he presided was fair and done in accordance to the rules. He consistently found ways to celebrate our Party’s diversity, while using his influence to stress fidelity to our Platform.
D. Woodside is good friend of ours, is my understanding. People are saying comrade even. That’s exciting.
Dave…. Hit me up. Let’s talk….
Thanks, Jason. I suspect Jesse gives me too much credit, but it is appreciated.
I’m proud of what the Democrats were able to accomplish and what we were able to make room for others to accomplish.
I’m gonna rest on my laurels for a few months and get back to some of the things that I had to put off while serving as chair (work, family, the small business that I have a stake in). The NCC Dems are in good hands with Kat Caudle and the team that was elected today. They know my number if they need a helping hand.
Opening up the Party to primary challenges opened up the Party. Dave, Cassandra, Erik and Jesse made that happen. Thanks, Dave! Time for a beer once we get to go out and have beers again.
Speaking of the opening of primaries–Stephanie Bolden’s bill to push the primary date to April is scheduled for a committee hearing this week. That bill would, IMO, make it MUCH more difficult for primary challengers to succeed. Which is why it might have a chance to pass.
One more point:
“Dave was a key driver of innovative programs that funneled critical resources to where they could do the most good.”
This is in direct contrast to the old days where Ed Freel, acting as Carper’s henchman, made these decisions for the entire Party. Fealty to Carper was a prerequisite for getting help.
Let me just say that Ed Freel has been nothing but a supporter to me and my philosophy. Early in my tenure Ed and I got together for breakfast twice. I explained (as I did to every campaign) my philosophy on primaries. Ed not only accepted it, he became one of my biggest supporters and I consider him a friend.
The Delaware Democratic Party has, in my experience, become a place where we can debate goals, strategy and tactics openly and find common ground. Ed is an active participant in that. And I think the whole party has become more resilient and responsive because of it.