Hello Friends,
I’ve been fielding a lot of questions lately about who the county party is supporting in either of our local primaries. The answer is neither – and both. The county party is required by our constitution to remain totally neutral in all primaries. It’s the reason we didn’t support any candidate during the presidential primary or during the gubernatorial primary in 2018. What we do is provide equal time and access to all candidates. Any primary candidate may keep their signs at our office for pickup, they are also allowed all the benefits of being a member. In a pre-covid world, they would all be eligible to use our office for campaigning activities. Individuals (other than the chair) may personally support a given candidate or even endorse them – so long as they aren’t using their current position in the party as part of their endorsement. The position of the party is we will support whoever wins the primary and move forward as one. That position is occasionally contentious – but only with the candidates who’ve lost. If their primary had gone the other way, I guarantee they would feel differently about us supporting the winner. If we’re not willing to respect the will of the voters, then the primary serves no purpose and our own legitimacy is at stake. Thus, the reason we’ve been completely neutral and will remain so.
Finally, I’d like to address a few questions I’ve fielded about the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee or ADCC and their role in a primary here in Brown County. Contrary to the assertions some people have made, the ADCC is not the county party or even affiliated with it. They are a legislative campaign committee out of Madison with the goal of defending incumbents or electing their preferred candidates. I have had no communication with them, and their actions are their own.
Our county party is committed to being fair and evenhanded in the both primaries and supporting the winner of those primaries in the general election. Let’s all plan on moving forward together.
Stay safe,
Mike Moran
Chair, Democratic Party of Brown County