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Second, the party has to
build a virtual grassroots component. Third, the party has
to return to “core Democratic values.” And fourth, the party
has to become more inclusive.
Ashford has already begun
to rebuild the party’s infrastructure – “good, working
committees” that can examine what works and what does not.
As time goes on the party, he says, will be adding new
committees that will help “bring the party into the 21st
century.”
“A dynamic set of
officers” have been added to the Executive Committee, he
says, such as Mike Hart as treasurer and Carrie Hartman,
whose “ideas and concepts are first class,” as secretary.
He’s reached out to labor
– such as AFSCME and the public safety unions – to increase
both their presence with the party and their involvement in
the party’s decision-making.
Inclusivity, in this
instance, clearly starts at the top. The new chairman is the
first African-American leader of the Lucas County Democratic
Party. Among the Ohio Democratic Party’s 88 county offices,
Ashford is only one of two black leaders – the other
African-American chairman is in Cuyahoga County.
The Democratic Party,
however, cannot reach its goals all by itself. A host of
partnerships are necessary and Ashford stresses that he is
committed to working with elected officials, grass roots
organizations, unions and “volunteers who want to be part of
our process.”
The process, however, is
all for naught unless the very obvious goal can met – that
goal is the election of local Democratic candidates and, in
this upcoming general election, the turnout of Lucas County
voters for presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Indeed, Ashford could not
be assuming such duties at a more critical time. In this
fall’s general election, a large number of local campaigns
are gearing up – U.S. House of Representatives, Ohio General
Assembly seats, Lucas County offices and assorted local
judgeships. And, of course, that presidential contest should
get more than a little bit of attention.
“I have overall experience
and the knowledge to work with people who are running and
bring them resources,” Ashford has told The Truth in the
past. That experience and knowledge will be put to the test
immediately.
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