Politics & Government

Democrats Rank Strategies and Rap the Republicans—as Well as Own Party

Eighty people attend forum at La Mesa Community Center, help San Diego County Democratic Party come up with planks for its next strategic plan.

East County Democrats were hailed as the party’s brains and brawn Wednesday night in a Town Hall forum that drew mainly baby boomers and older progressives to the La Mesa Community Center.

Encouraged to share their ideas, they responded by ripping Republicans—but also their own party for what one former council candidate depicted as a failure to support municipal hopefuls.

“I wasn’t one of the chosen few,” said John Martes, who was fourth out of 11 in a 2008 El Cajon City Council election and missed a seat by fewer than 500 votes. “If I had gotten help (from the county party), I would have won.”

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But Carol Perkins, a La Mesa club member for seven years, said the party should invest its energies only in candidates that have a “fighting chance.”

“We have to be realistic,” she told the audience of 80. “We’re not going to unseat Darrel Duncan Baby Boy,” a reference to Duncan D. Hunter, the Republican congressional incumbent (whose middle name is Duane).

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But a woman who spoke later in the two-hour meeting said: “If we neglect those like (congressional candidate) Ray Lutz who can’t win, we do ourselves a disservice.”

Hosted by the La Mesa-Foothills Democratic Club, the brainstorming session heard several dozen people share ideas with event moderator Kim Piker of Encinitas, finance director for Rep. Bob Filner, the San Ysidro Democrat.

The purpose of the forum—one of several being held in the county—was to get input for the San Diego County Democratic Party’s strategic plan, Piker said.

After opening comments by club President Linda Armacost and remarks by county party chairman Jess Durfee—who launched the “Go Team” system of precinct captains—local Democrats lined up for a chance at a hand-held microphone.

La Mesa council also-ran Patrick Dean noted the training he attended as helpful but said local candidates needed help finding money and endorsements—as well as better access to the county’s database of registered Democrats.

But Dean said candidate training wasn’t geared enough to those running in nonpartisan elections such as school boards and city councils. He said Democrats can attract support from independents and Republicans as well in such lower-level races.

He also wanted the party to “get the truth out” and “combat pervasive myths” spread by opponents—such as President Barack Obama being depicted as a Muslim.

Garry Armacost, Linda’s husband, supported an effort to respond to what he called Republican Party disinformation, “when (Brian) Bilbray, (Darrell) Issa or Hunter say something that’s blatantly wrong.”

Dean, the former council candidate, returned to the microphone to note the influence of the religious right, such as efforts by one such group to defeat incumbent judges.

One speaker even suggested that Democrats “infiltrate” churches and Republican Party meetings. But when audience members were asked to rank the top three priorities of 13 suggestions, that proposal got only one vote.

The top ideas—displayed on a computer projection screen—were “increase resources for East County,” improve communication and messaging, and “reach out to young people.”

Martes, co-president of the neighboring East County Democratic Club, recalled a recent argument with a Tea Party conservative, saying he asked the man “if he was rich.”

“I pinned his ears back,” Martes said, telling him, “You’d be working 14 hours a day if it weren’t for unions.”

Martes said: “Republicans only support the 430 people at the top of the income (bracket). … There’s a large population out there that votes against their own self-interest.”

He added that Democrats are getting older, “and a lot of them don’t use computers. E-mail is out of the question, and mail is so expensive. I think we need to find a way to deal with this problem.”

Janet Gastil, a former La Mesa school board member and congressional candidate, said “more of us” should support liberal media such as Miriam Raftery’s EastCountyMagazine.com, sponsored by former Democratic Assembly candidate Mark Hanson.

“She can reach more people online than with a print paper,” Gastil said.

Linda Armacost opened the forum, which followed a mixer with a variety of snacks and drinks. She noted that San Diego County—“equal to the population of the state of Iowa”—has the second-largest number of Democrats in the state, after Los Angeles County.

She said that five years ago, when Durfee began leading the county Democratic Party, nothing was happening. But that now, his Go Team concept has attracted national attention and emulation.

She said Durfee is the first San Diegan in many years to be a member of the Democratic National Committee, and recently traveled to the group’s meeting in Washington—where he attended a reception hosted by the Obamas.

Chris Pearson, the East Area vice chairman of the county Democratic Party, saluted the audience by saying: “You are the brains. You are the muscle” of the party.


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