Uncategorized

An Historic Event! Five CDP Caucus Chairs work together for a common goal

9 Comments

(Always appreciate some good ol’ fashioned grassroots action. – promoted by Brian Leubitz)

Hello CDP Members and Friends,

Shawnda Westly (CDP Executive Director) referred a friend of hers, a woman named Deborah Ortiz to me early last week.  Deborah told the story of a woman I had never heard of, who was running for mayor in a town I never heard of. The town is Riverbank, in Stanislaus County near Modesto. The name of the candidate is Virginia Madueno. I spoke with her to get her views on what is going on in her community and why she is running for office. She has identified the issues and her campaign is bringing the community together by being solution oriented. She is a bright, articulate Latina woman who holds Progressive values and knows how to put them into practice them without being divisive. She knows how to build coalitions with sometimes disparate groups, to get things done. She is a mother of three and a small business owner. She is an outstanding candidate and I believe we will hear more from her in the years to come.

Edit by Brian: More over the flip

Needless to say, after speaking with her, I became VERY excited.  I saw an opportunity to bring several of our CDP caucuses together to work for a common goal: help get a candidate, who represents the interests all of our caucuses, elected to office!

I called Mickie Luna of the Chicano/Latino Caucus, Karen Bernal of the Progressive Caucus, Karen Weinstein of the Women’s Caucus, and Alyson Abramowitz of the Business and Professional Caucus. All FIVE of us were anxious to help such an outstanding candidate. Mickie Luna brought two more volunteers with her; Ruth Hermosillo, Secretary of the Chicano/Latino Caucus, Monica Rodriguez, of LULAC, who is an advocate for parents and children at the schools.  Susan Rowe, a volunteer for the Rural Caucus and Chair of Madera County DCC, drove more than two hours to join with us. We all joined forces on October 31st and walked for Virginia all day. We all came back with wonderful stories. We had a great time together and agreed we should do this more often. I think we will.

For the first time in CDP history, five caucus chairs have joined forces for a common cause. I hope to see more activities like this in the future. If we want to win in red counties, this is the kind of cooperation it will take.  

The election is Tuesday.  We will keep you posted on the outcome!

Keep Fighting!!!!

Jamie Beutler

Chair, CDP Rural Caucus

9 thoughts on “An Historic Event! Five CDP Caucus Chairs work together for a common goal”

  3. The caucuses have, in the past, not had much power in the state Democratic Party. However, new and existing caucus chairs such as these ladies are working to change that–just as the Party is looking at the possibility of eliminating the caucuses. Instead, I think they should be looking for ways to harness this kind of energy and networking to achieve common goals. This is a good example, and a good argument for how grassroots activists could and should work within the Party. Now, if only we could activate some caucus members instead of just the chairs–and Susan, who is the kind of activist every county wishes we had.

  5. The following is from JOhn Burton’s Charge to the Rules committee at the beginning of our term.

    4. Reviewing Article IV, Section 10 and proposing a more substantive

    definition of Caucuses as well as improvements in the certification process

    including measurable standards for the continued certification and recertification

    of Caucuses and participation in the affairs of This Committee

    As you can see, there is no elimination of any kind on the table.

    Here’s another contribution to the discussion

    There is a FAR more effective method of addressing issues within the CDP framework than caucuses, and that is a State-wide CDP Chartered Organization which is allowed to raise and spend monies and organize with far less restrictions than caucuses have.

    They can also lobby and disperse materials without the necessity of CDP pre-approval.

    Yannick was offered that as a possible form of organization while the Executive Board explores how it wishes to define newly certified Caucuses.

    The Rules Committee was charged with “Reviewing Article IV, Section 10 and proposing a more substantive definition of Caucuses as well as improvements in the certification process including measurable standards for the continued certification and re-certification of Caucuses and participation in the affairs of This Committee;”  The Executive Board put a hold on the certification of any new caucuses pending that report.

    We are proceeding on that issue.  The Sub-Committee is meeting twice at this upcoming Executive Board to take testimony and has developed a questionnaire for DSCC members to respond to regarding Caucuses that will be coming out shortly.

    In the meantime, I strongly suggest that any group that really wants to undertake political action become a Statewide Chartered Organization.  The forms can be accessed here:

Comments are closed.