Lou

Today, Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Chair and Association of State Democratic Chairs (ASDC) President Ken Martin was elected as the new Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) with overwhelming support from DNC members on the first ballot. In his acceptance speech, newly-elected Chair Martin committed to holding the Trump administration accountable, uniting and charting a new path for the Democratic Party, and fighting for working families. 

“The Democratic Party is the party of working people, and it’s time to roll up our sleeves and outcompete everywhere, in every election, and at every level of government — and I look forward to working with this next generation of leadership to build a Party to unite America,” said DNC Chair Ken Martin. “Today’s elections mark a new chapter in DNC leadership, and Donald Trump and his billionaire allies are put on notice: we will hold them accountable for ripping off working families, and we will beat them at the ballot box.” 

New DNC Chair Martin campaigned on a promise to implement a new framework at the DNC: Build to Win, Build to Expand, Build to Last. Here’s what that looks like:

• Build to win by expanding our vision and infrastructure. This means funding parties in all 57 states and territories, meaningfully investing in youth empowerment and mobilization, ensuring there is Democratic infrastructure in every ZIP code, and organizing year-round.
• Build to expand by going on offense everywhere, contesting every race, and embracing our responsibility to support Democrats running at every level.
• Build to last by planning, organizing, and implementing a 10-year strategy to align the infrastructure, partnerships, and people we need to win. We must listen to voters and be willing to dig deep and recenter the Democratic agenda to reestablish who we are in the eyes of American voters.

Background on DNC Chair Ken Martin

Ken Martin has served as the Chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party since 2011 — making him the longest serving Chair in the 75-year history of the DFL. 

Ken made the DFL what it is today — an all-day, year-round party dedicated to organizing communities, empowering the grassroots, electing progressive candidates, and improving the lives of Minnesotans.

Given his success as the DFL Party Chairman, Ken was elected by his peers across the country to serve as the President of the Association of State Democratic Chairs in 2017, where he works with state and local party committees to build permanent, long-lasting political infrastructure so they can elect candidates from the school board to the Oval Office.

Before his election as Chairman, Ken spent two decades working for progressive candidates and causes. He played key leadership roles on various campaigns, including Dayton for Governor in 2010, Hatch for Governor in 2006, Kerry for President in 2004, Humphrey for Secretary of State in 2002, and Gore for President in 2000. Ken led the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment campaign in 2008, which dedicated funding to the arts, environment, conservation, and parks and trails in Minnesota. It is the largest conservation finance measure in the nation to ever become law.

DanversDem and State Committee member Julie Curtis featured on page one of The Salem News on Monday. Julie attended the exhibit “Social Fabric” a textile work engaging with the migration stories of 80 local residents.

The DanversDems hosted our annual MLK Jr. Day of Service.  This year we held a food drive for our Danvers People to People Food Pantry. We had a very significant amount of donations of food, diapers, personal items and cash.

Thank you to Paul from the Food Pantry for meeting us in the early morning to clear and salt the stairs and for letting us stay inside the pantry on this very cold day.

Thanks to everyone who donated. As always, Dems show up and are very generous.

Thanks to Liz Brennan for running this event.

The Human Rights and Inclusion Committee and the Danvers Public Schools is hosting a Martin Luther King Jr Day of Celebration on January 20 from 4 PM – 6 PM at the Danvers High School Atrium.

Beverly Democrat Jerald Parisella was one of three new judges approved Wednesday by the Governor’s Council.

Parisella is a seven-term State Rep from Beverly. He was Governor Healey’s choice for the district court bench. His appointment was unanimous.

Judicial candidates have 90 days to swear their oaths of office after confirmation by the Governor’s Council, meaning Parisella could wait until the current legislative session ends before jumping to the judicial branch. A special election will be required to fill his seat representing the North Shore. Two Democrats and one Republican have already thrown their hat into the ring.

Senator Elizabeth Warren (60.1%) won – defeating John Deaton (39.5%)

Senator Joan Lovely won – defeated Damian Anketell by winning 72% in Salem

State Representative Sally Kerans was unopposed.

Eileen Duff won – defeating is Jonathan Ring GOP in Register of Deeds.

Tom Driscoll appears to be on his way to reelection over Todd Angilly and Doris Rodriquez for Essex County Clerk of Courts.

.Eunice Zeigler won Governor’s Council – 178,441 47.1% defeating Anne Manning-Martin GOP 154,914 40.9% and Jody Elliott IND 45,210 11.9%

How Danvers voted:

I am shocked, sad and disappointed.. For anyone who was near me on Tuesday at the polls, I was very confident that we had this and I was very wrong. I am not going to begin to analyze how this happened as we all can hear the various reasons on cable news. However, we lost all the swing states and blue states New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Virginia were very much closer than we would ever think.

Need some time to go through the seven stages of grief and then regroup and go forward.

In Danvers, Harris 8,588 (53.8%) – Trump 7,063 (44.3%)

Agnes Ricko, from Lynn, passed away peaceably at the age of 87 surrounded by family and friends on October 31. Agnes was one of the great local leaders of the Democrat Party. Many, such as myself, who have only recently become involved in the party may not know the impact that Agnes had. I will share a note from DanversDem Tom Meagher who knew her well.

Agnes took me under her wing in Lynn during the Dukakis years back in the 1980’s, and we have toiled together on local, state, & national campaigns ever since. Every knowledgeable MA politician seeking statewide or national office has known for decades that the pathway to election goes through Lynn, and Agnes has always been the Democratic Party’s St Peter vetting candidates at the gate (and holding elected officials accountable.) Small in stature, she has always commanded respect, and her passion, dedication to democratic values and tireless energy was legendary. And oh yes Sally, the stories she could tell- I will personally miss Agnes terribly, and the Democratic Party has lost a great leader.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, November 8 at the Solimine Funeral Home, 426 Broadway, Lynn at 11:00 AM. Burial will be at Pine Grove Cemetery in Lynn. Relatives and friends are respectively invited. Visiting hours will be on Thursday, November 7 from 4-8 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations in Agnes memorial may be made to the Lynn Museum and Historical Society at www.lynnmuseum.org/donate, My Brother’s Tale at www.my brotherstable.org/donate or a charity of your choice.