Matt Carroll-Schmidt
Template:TOCnestleft Matt Carroll-Schmidt
Infiltrating the Democratic Party after Ferguson
Rasheen Aldridge and Bruce Franks, Jr. are among about a dozen candidates on the August 2 2016 ballot who were inspired to run for office by the Ferguson protest movement. While Franks and others are reaching for state-level offices, many are starting at the basic level as Democratic Party committeepersons.
Committee members’ main responsibilities are to register and educate voters, as well as conduct meetings within their wards, Aldridge said. They also select delegates at these meetings in presidential years. Two committee members are elected from each city ward – one man and one woman.
However, the unpaid position also gives them some authority to influence changes in their community. In the city, they are in charge of selecting candidates to fill vacancies at the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, as well as state legislative districts that include part of the city.
“Ferguson was the straw that broke the camel’s back for many of us," said Ferguson activist Rachel Johns, who is running for Ward 27 committeewoman.
Johns is also among a group of mainly South City progressives who are supporting each other in committee races. They have all been endorsed by Mobilize Missouri, and are Bernie Sanders supporters. Of that group, about 10 are first-time candidates.
“You can’t jump to a national level without getting your feet wet first,” Johns said. “You have to take care of home first.”
Maria Chappelle-Nadal, who is running against incumbent U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay, Jr. on the August 2 ballot, has donated at least $1,000 to many progressive candidates for committeeperson, including Aldridge, Betts, Alison Dreith, Matt Carroll-Schmidt, Marty Murray, Jr., Tony Zebrowski, Annie Rice, Max Cassilly, Laura Hladky and Glenn Burleigh.[1]