Can Democrats Go Country?
As North Carolina Democrats elect a state chair this weekend, three divides emerge: young/old, rural/Raleigh and grassroots/headquarters.
Two contrasting candidates are 73-year-old incumbent chair Bobbie Richardson, who defends the party’s 2022 performance, and 25-year-old Anderson Clayton (pictured), who says the party should do more at the grassroots and in rural areas.
One young Democrat texted me: “There’s a lot of talk around rural organizing, but no one mentions the time it was done well and effectively” – Governor Jim Hunt’s county-key system.
They probably don’t mention it because they weren’t around then. But I was.
The county-key system began with Terry Sanford’s campaign for governor in 1960. Sanford and his campaign manager, the legendary Bert Bennett, were World War II vets, and their organization mirrored the military.
Sanford was Ike, leading the invasion, and Bennett was George Marshall, planning behind the scenes.
Below them were “area keys,” each overseeing several counties. Then there were “county keys,” in charge of raising money and turning out voters.
A key who didn’t cut it was relieved of command and replaced.
When Hunt ran for lieutenant governor in 1972, Bennett rallied the Sanford keys behind him. On top of that, Hunt added the hundreds of contacts he had made as Young Democrats president, chair of a party-reform commission and a relentless campaigner and organizer.
It was a 100-county organization.
When I worked in the 1976 campaign, we didn’t have just county keys. We had “women keys,” “teacher keys,” “farmer keys,” “business keys,” on and on.
We had more keys than a used-car dealer.
Three things of note today:
First, North Carolina was much smaller then. Counties were easier to organize, and voters listened more to local leaders.
Second, that was before many rural and small-town voters took a hearty dislike to a Democratic party that stands up for civil rights, women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights.
Third, the key system stood apart from the party structure. It’s hard to change the party’s habits and culture. It’s hard, especially today, to get people excited about a party.
Great candidates, like Sanford, Hunt and Barack Obama in 2008, make organizing easier.
There is another key here: the energy, idealism and impatience of youth.
In 1960, Sanford and John F. Kennedy were both just 43. In 1976, Hunt was 39. In 2008, Obama was 47.
I’m pulling for today’s impatient young Democrats. North Carolina needs them.
They won’t win rural counties. But losing 70-30 is better than losing 90-10.
And they’re right that, in 2022, Democratic candidates didn’t inspire enough young, urban, Black and progressive voters.
I offer this advice: Whatever happens Saturday, don’t wait for state party headquarters. Find great candidates. Organize for them. Raise money for them. Get them elected.
That’s the ticket.
Can Democrats Go Country?
As North Carolina Democrats elect a state chair this weekend, three divides emerge: young/old, rural/Raleigh and grassroots/headquarters.
Two contrasting candidates are 73-year-old incumbent chair Bobbie Richardson, who defends the party’s 2022 performance, and 25-year-old Anderson Clayton (pictured), who says the party should do more at the grassroots and in rural areas.
One young Democrat texted me: “There’s a lot of talk around rural organizing, but no one mentions the time it was done well and effectively” – Governor Jim Hunt’s county-key system.
They probably don’t mention it because they weren’t around then. But I was.
The county-key system began with Terry Sanford’s campaign for governor in 1960. Sanford and his campaign manager, the legendary Bert Bennett, were World War II vets, and their organization mirrored the military.
Sanford was Ike, leading the invasion, and Bennett was George Marshall, planning behind the scenes.
Below them were “area keys,” each overseeing several counties. Then there were “county keys,” in charge of raising money and turning out voters.
A key who didn’t cut it was relieved of command and replaced.
When Hunt ran for lieutenant governor in 1972, Bennett rallied the Sanford keys behind him. On top of that, Hunt added the hundreds of contacts he had made as Young Democrats president, chair of a party-reform commission and a relentless campaigner and organizer.
It was a 100-county organization.
When I worked in the 1976 campaign, we didn’t have just county keys. We had “women keys,” “teacher keys,” “farmer keys,” “business keys,” on and on.
We had more keys than a used-car dealer.
Three things of note today:
First, North Carolina was much smaller then. Counties were easier to organize, and voters listened more to local leaders.
Second, that was before many rural and small-town voters took a hearty dislike to a Democratic party that stands up for civil rights, women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights.
Third, the key system stood apart from the party structure. It’s hard to change the party’s habits and culture. It’s hard, especially today, to get people excited about a party.
Great candidates, like Sanford, Hunt and Barack Obama in 2008, make organizing easier.
There is another key here: the energy, idealism and impatience of youth.
In 1960, Sanford and John F. Kennedy were both just 43. In 1976, Hunt was 39. In 2008, Obama was 47.
I’m pulling for today’s impatient young Democrats. North Carolina needs them.
They won’t win rural counties. But losing 70-30 is better than losing 90-10.
And they’re right that, in 2022, Democratic candidates didn’t inspire enough young, urban, Black and progressive voters.
I offer this advice: Whatever happens Saturday, don’t wait for state party headquarters. Find great candidates. Organize for them. Raise money for them. Get them elected.
That’s the ticket.