Mansfield and Voller Make Their Pitch For State Democratic Party Chairman | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: The author of this political post Barry Smith, who is an associate editor to the Carolina Journal, John Hood Publisher.

Former state senator and current Pittsboro mayor speak of revitalizing party

    CHAPEL HILL     Two men who want to lead the N.C. Democratic Party - former state Sen. Eric Mansfield of Cumberland County and Pittsboro Mayor Randy Voller - made their case Wednesday night before about 125 party faithful during a town hall gathering in this university town.

    Both men were cordial. Neither criticized the other. Both Voller and Mansfield said they'd seek to use their opponent's skills in the party whoever emerged victorious when the party's State Executive Committee gathers Feb. 2 in Durham to elect a new chairman.

    One questioner commented that both men were charismatic, strong individuals who found common ground on ideas. She wanted them to talk about their differences.

    "I believe I have a very clear and distinct vision," Mansfield responded, noted that he has been a candidate, knocked on doors, and led troops as a company commander in the Army. "I have the ability, I believe, to bring people together."

    Striking a harmonizing note, Voller said, "I'm not running against Eric and he's not running against me. We're running for the position."

    Voller went on to detail his work over the past eight years in grass-roots organizing in his hometown and in Chatham County.

    Both Mansfield and Voller spoke of the need to unite a party reeling from losing both chambers of the General Assembly, three additional congressional seats and the governor's office during the 2012 general election.

    The question of raising funds to match rival Republicans in campaigns arose.

    Voller said that local parties should work to get out the base, but added that local candidates and parties could better leverage the money they do have.

    "We're not very good at actually taking the dollars spent and spending it appropriately," Voller said. He said that in Chatham County, Democrats embrace each other and run as a team.

    "Other counties have to do the same," Voller continued. "We are in a situation where dollars are scarce."

    "Part of what Randy said is true," Mansfield said. "But I also believe we have to raise money."

    Mansfield said that would be part of his job if he's elected chairman.

    He said one recent problem the party has faced is that normal donors didn't contribute.

    "They almost consistently said the same thing: We're not going to give to a party that has no message and has no movement," Mansfield said.

    Voller said that state Democratic Party officials need to get excited about elections every year, not just those when there are presidential contests.

    "Our party gets obsessed every four years," Voller said. But in off-year elections, they appear to die off like cicadas, he said. "This party cannot be a cicada party," Voller said.

    Mansfield said that Democrats need to make sure that they have a clear and concise message. He said the Democrats' message needs to resonate outside the Raleigh Beltline.

    "I propose that ever single week, we send talking points across this state," Mansfield said. "You can tailor it to your community. But every op-ed piece that you write, every time you get up to speak, we are talking about the same talking points across the state, so that the state begins to see that we are a diverse party, but we have one central message. And that central message is always justice and equality and fairness and a level playing field."