Democrats will rise again, N.C. chairman says

BY TODD LUCK 

THE CHRONICLE

N.C. Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Goodwin said he believes that his party can turn the current discontent with Republican rule into future victories.

Goodwin was in Winston-Salem last week attending a fundraiser for the Forsyth County Democratic Party.  He said there’s been a tremendous groundswell of support for Democrats since President Donald Trump’s upset victory last November. He said in his 35 years in politics, he’s “seen the epitaphs of both political parties written at least three times each” and believes Democrats will rebound from last year’s losses.

“I know [that] as much as it was a bad night for Democrats in November of 2016, I know that we Democrats will rise again,” said Goodwin. “We shall prevail again.”

Goodwin knows how bad a night it was first hand. He was in his second term as Commissioner of Insurance when he narrowly lost to Republican Mike Causey in one of the closest races in the state. Goodwin believes that Trump’s victory may have helped give the edge to his opponent.

Goodwin, who also served four terms in the weren’t organized before. He believes the Democrats’ message of opportunity for all, strengthening education, middle class tax relief and investing in infrastructure will appeal to voters.

“I know through reorganizing, through registering more voters, through honing our message that shows the stronger connection between the goals that people have for themselves, their families and N.C. House of Representatives, said that after his loss, he felt he had the experience needed to be party chairman when Patsy Keever decided not to run again for the position.

He said there’s an “unparalleled amount of energy and passion and frustration” against the Republican-controlled White House, Congress and N.C. General Assembly that gives Democrats a chance to reach out to “dormant” members of their party and unaffiliated voters.

Goodwin said the state party has never seen a greater interest in precinct meetings, with 6,000 new attendees and  243 newly organized precincts that weren’t organized before. He believes the Democrats’ message of opportunity for all, strengthening education, middle class tax relief and investing in infrastructure will appeal to voters.

“I know through reorganizing, through registering more voters, through honing our message that shows the stronger connection between the goals that people have for themselves, their families and their small businesses and the Democratic Party that we can turn the tide in 2018 and in the all important 2020,” said Goodwin.

Forsyth County Democratic Party Chairman Eric Ellison said that the local party was among those with a record number of attendees at the local convention and precinct meetings. He said people are “coming through the woodworks to participate based on this president that we have” and that Goodwin is the right person to steer that movement statewide.

“We have the proper person in place to corral all of us together by a vision for the entire state,”said Ellison.