Cville Dems

The Charlottesville Democratic Committee

Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA)

Lamont Bagby Wins as Interim DPVA Leader

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Lamont Bagby gives a speech at redwood lectern a Democratic Party of Virginia meeting to elect an interim leader. He stands next to an American flag in front of a crowd that came to elect the new leader and Bagby won the special election.As you read in our mid-February newsletter, Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA) Chair Susan Swecker decided to step down after10 years in the post. Three people ran to complete her term: state Senator Lamont Bagby, 10th Congressional District Democratic Committee chair Zachary Pruckowski, and 1st Congressional District Democratic Committee member Josh Stanfield.

On March 22, the DPVA Central Committee elected Sen. Bagby. He’s committed to electing Democrats to every office in November — not only the statewide offices, but also to the House of Delegates and local government positions all across Virginia.

Big Changes in the Democratic Party Leadership, Statewide and Nationally!

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Formal portrait of Susan Swecker, retired Democratic Party of Virginia chair, wearing a pearl necklace, blue top, and dark suit jacket.Formal portrait of Ken Martin, 2025 Democratic National Committee chair, wearing a blue button down shirt, gray sweater, and dark suit jacket.

Susan Stecker is outgoing DPVA chair; Ken Martin is incoming DNC chair.

Virginia

Susan Swecker, chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA) Central Committee, is resigning before her current term expires (after serving for 10 years), so there will be an election to fill out the rest of her term. There’s about a year left to go before the next reorganization of the DPVA Central Committee and election of DPVA’s officers.

The DPVA Steering Committee will be meeting soon to set the rules for electing the next chair. Cville Dems will not be voting in this state leadership election. Members of the DPVA Central Committee will vote to fill the chair’s seat at its March 22, 2025 regular quarterly meeting.

The proposed rules for this election indicate that candidates for chair will need to submit paperwork to DPVA by  March 8.  At this time, there are no “official” candidates to succeed Swecker as chair and finish the rest of her term — but that could change very soon. There are rumors about who may run, see this Blue Virginia article.

National

Ken Martin won election as the new Democratic National Committee (DNC) head, replacing current chair Jaime Harrison. Martin, currently the chair of the Minnesota Democratic Party, won the race with 112 more votes more than the second place candidate, Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Ben Wikler.

Martin offered little on his plans to confront President Donald Trump, saying his “war room” will combat misinformation and that the party will also conduct a review to learn why Democrats lost ground with Latino, female, young, working-class, and other voter demographics last November.

Come on Along: Full Committee Meeting Monday, Aug. 26

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Portrait photo of approx. 30 Cville Dem members seated around 6 rectangular tables in the JMRL Swanson Case room

Cville Dems and all interested parties, please come to the Cville Dems Full Committee meeting Monday, Aug. 26, 6:30pm, Forest Hills Park on Forest Hills Avenue. We’ll be in the picnic shelter on the Forest Ridge Road side of the park.

Learn what we’re doing and how you can help Gloria Witt, Sen. Tim Kaine, and VP Kamala Harris-Gov. Tim Walz get elected! Early voting starts on September 20!

Cville Dem Attend State Convention

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On June 22, a full quorum of Charlottesville delegates went to Richmond to vote on resolutions and vote for national electors and state delegates to the Democratic National Convention that will begin in Chicago on Aug. 19.

It was a rousing day full of democratic visions and determination to elect Democrats straight down the line in November. VA05 candidate Gloria Witt and many others attended. A humorous and vibrant State Speaker of the House Don Scott chaired the day’s proceedings.

An official portrait of Charlottesville delegates, men and women, at the state convention to choose electors and delegates in Richmond, July 2024     Cville Dems are seated and waiting for a large auditorium to fill with more delegates to the state convention in July 2024.

Fifth District Delegates and a Virginia Elector Chosen

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Standing left to Right onstage: Sen. Creigh Deeds, Patricia Tunley-Harper center at the podium, and Delegate Amy Laufer
Creigh Deeds, Patricia Tunley-Harper, and Amy Laufer fire up the crowd from the stage of the 2024 Fifth District Convention.

It was a rainy day when delegates convened at Fluvanna High School May 18 to elect delegates, but the auditorium was full of warmth and humor as the various counties and cities in the Fifth District introduced their delegations. “The great and honorable county of X known for its Y is here in full,” rang out repeatedly. Then delegates and alternates got down to the business of voting for five  District-Level Delegates to the National Convention in Chicago, as well as a District-level Presidential Elector.

The candidates who ran together as a slate for the National Convention Delegate seats won, including our co-chair, Josh Throneburg. The others are Bernard Baker of Danville, Dr. Cameron Webb of Albemarle County, Patricia Harper-Tunley of Lunenburg County, and Tina Winkler of Goochland County.

One elector was chosen: Gary Schatz from Louisa County.

At the State Convention on June 22 in Richmond, Delegates from all the counties and cities in the Commonwealth will elect Virginia’s state-wide representatives to the National Convention in Chicago (At-Large Delegates and Alternates to the National Convention, along with Pledged Party Leaders and Elected Officials), two At-Large Presidential Electors, and Virginia’s members of the Democratic National Committee for the next four years. Many thanks to our fellow Charlottesville Democrats representing us as our delegates at both the Fifth District Convention and the State Convention!

Brag Time — the Cville Dems won an award (pictured below) for doing the hard work of filling out our delegate and alternate slots (with Creigh Deeds sitting in for us at the last minute that day due to cancellations). We also got this shot of Erin Monaghan reading the rules of the day.

An engraved award from the 2024 Fifth District Convention on May 18. It says To Cville Dems for Delegate Challenge - 5-18-24 The Forward Fifth. The award is for getting a full number of possible delegates and alternates to the convention.         Cville Dem Erin Monaghan, who worked as Legislative and Policy Director for the Virginia House Democratic Caucus, reads out the rules for the Virginia Fifth District Democratic Convention, May 18, 2024, from behind a podium.