Candidate Statement

I am running for election to the Democratic State Central Committee (DSCC) from the 23rd Assembly District. I would be honored to have your support.

Some things I want you to know about me:

• I believe in and encourage grassroots activism: I was one of the founders of Democratic Activists for Women Now (DAWN), now one of the largest and most respected Democratic clubs in Santa Clara County.

• I believe in and encourage communication about the Party with the public: I was the founding producer of Democratic Television (DTV), the public access cable TV show of the Santa Clara County Democratic Party, and produced it for 14 years. (While I retired as producer in 2009, prior to the pandemic I still worked on the show.)

• I believe in doing grunt work: I was Secretary of the Santa Clara County Democratic Central Committee for eight years. (Producing DTV also involved a lot of grunt work.)

• I am concerned about the well-being of children: I founded the California Democratic Party Children's Caucus, because if you're not at the table you're on the menu.

• I have experience with the Party: I've been a DSCC member since 1986 (sometimes elected, sometimes appointed) and on the Executive Board from 1993 through 2016. I served on the Voter Services Committee for 12 years.

I am known for my tenacity (founding the Children's Caucus took years, and I had to overcome the opposition of the then-Party Chair), my attention to detail (Secretary of the County Committee; producing a TV show), and my passion for electoral reform (I've been President or co-President of Californians for Electoral Reform for 22 years).

I mentor new people and help them come up to speed on the intricate workings of the California Democratic Party, including navigating the Resolutions, Rules, and Caucus processes.

I was the Convener for the 2016 CD18 Bernie Sanders Delegate Selection Caucus and encouraged Sanders supporters to stay active with the Democratic Party.

I am also known for my ability to get along with people who don't get along with each other. This is not to say I never have political disagreements with people (I do), but I do my best to keep those disagreements political and not personal. As they say, politics is the art of compromise, and it doesn't make sense to make enemies out of people who may differ from me on one issue or another.

My complete political resume is at https://chessin24-2021.blogspot.com/2020/12/my-political-resume.html.

I'm running on a slate with a diverse group of people. You can find us all at https://www.ad23.vote/.

I hope I can count on your vote, not just for me, but for our entire slate.

Thanks,
--Steve