Meet the New Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party

The new Chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party Brandon Dillon speaks about the changes the Democratic Party needs to make to retake the majority in the upcoming elections. Find out what plans he has for changing the party’s approach and what they’re going to do to change the political climate.

• Why has the party been struggling?: Dillon explains the past few years were filled with defeat because Democrats lost the majority in 2010 and Republican control of the House and redistricting caused some problems for the party overall. He is hopeful, however, for the upcoming term because many seats will be open due to term limits.
• It’s about engagement: He explains that the main problem right now is getting candidates and the public to engage in the political process. He says the success Democrats saw with Obama in 2008 is unlikely to return, but he acknowledges there’s a clear need to draw in the youth vote on both sides. He wants people to understand that long-term progressive change requires some commitment and involvement in politics.
• Meeting halfway: Dillon also says the political climate is certainly changing. He expects more compromise to be on the horizon and says that’s what people are looking for: they want their politicians do actual work and produce results whether they’re a Republican or a Democrat. He believes bipartisan solutions will be necessary for issues like school reform, road fixes, and healthcare.
• No lame ducks: Stephen asks whether the party needs to change its approach to elections and primaries. Dillon says he wants to change it and he thinks it’s certain that the party needs to move quicker and be more active in choosing candidates. He compares the past few Democrat election cycles to those of the Republicans and notes that Democrats have been less robust and haven’t garnered as much attention. He wants candidates to step forward sooner and begin building their election networks as early as a year before the campaign.

Click the audio link above to hear the full conversation.