Dreams and Dems: A Tale of Newcomers at the California Democratic Convention (Part 1)
Carey Wheaton
May 23, 2017
My husband Jim and I returned last Sunday night from our first Democratic Party state convention in Sacramento, our psyches still pulsating with the thrill of it, barely disembarked from the wild roller-coaster ride of a contested election for party chair, so controversial that results are under audit to validate a 60-plus vote difference between two candidates.
We are long-term hosts of phone banks at our home for many Democrats and especially for Bernie Sanders, but we are new to party politics. After the drama of the primary and devastation of the November election, we thought Dems must do better.
Realizing it was no longer enough to just discuss, we decided to join up. I was inspired by the Vermont senator’s crusade for the nomination as well as by my dad, a union man, a Social Democrat and advocate of single payer health care, who died shortly after the election at age 99 1/2.
Trump’s win seemed to knock the last wind out of his sails. I told him not to worry; promised him we'd fight hard for our democracy and we’d survive this.
Jim and I ran on a slate of seasoned activists from Marin and Sonoma counties, and were voted in as Assembly District 10 delegates on a stormy and rainy Sunday in January. We were evidently part of a wave of new California progressives: the #DemEnter response to #DemExit.
We attended along with veterans of Democratic Party politics in the West County like Lynn Hamilton, former mayor of Sebastopol; Don Frank, longtime treasurer of the Sonoma County Democratic Party, and social justice activist Alice Chan.
The primary duty of delegates is attending state conventions and caucuses, voting on party leadership, resolutions and the platform. It may sound dry, but it was thrilling.
Some highlights:
1. We had our first experience lobbying our state senator’s and assemblyman’s offices in the beautiful Capitol building as part of an organized day of lobbying for Single Payer Health Care Senate Bill 562 with allies from the California Nurses Association, Progressive Democrats of America and other groups. Our reps’ offices are open and friendly!
2. In a stroke of luck, I was invited to be part of a small circle of Bernie people meeting with new national chair, Tom Perez. He was a respectful and compassionate listener, despite some rough moments. He was asked for more transparency, support for universal health care, and candidates that speak to the hearts and minds of Americans.
3. We found ourselves not only meeting State Sen. Mike McGuire and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, but also having conversations about universal health care and a fracking ban. Meeting your elected reps really brings political narrative to life. These men are no longer two-dimensional figures for us, but human beings, and caring ones.
4. Countless inspiring speeches espoused ethics and just causes we deeply believe in. In every area but the chair race, thousands cheered. We heard a passionate speech from our U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (much discussed as a presidential contender some day) about the resistance, civil rights, immigrant rights and more that melted skeptics. We learned about Josh Newman, the first Democratic state senator from Orange County in years. (If the recall effort against him succeeds, he should go into standup comedy, but we hope it won’t!)
Next week: The effect on the Democratic Party’s future of the nail-biting race for chair and the passage of resolutions that matter.
Carey Caccavo Wheaton is an Assembly District 10 delegate from Sebastopol.