My Fellow Young Democrats -

What an exciting time this has been. Two years ago, the Democratic Party seemed destined for a long journey in the wilderness. After almost eight years of George W. Bush, stolen elections, and an America that had become increasingly unrecognizable, we started to ask ourselves, If we cannot win now, could we ever?

Twice in the last two years, Kentucky has been the beginning of rebirth of our party and of our nation.

• In 2006, John Yarmuth was given little chance of unseating a popular Congresswoman by the name of Anne Northup. However, at the end of the day, Mr. Yarmuth became Congressman Yarmuth and he set in motion a route that led to Democratic control in both houses of congress and the election of the first female Speaker of the House.
• In 2007, many wondered if success in the Congress would lead to success in the state houses. The first major test of this question would be in Kentucky. Could a former Attorney General and Lt. Governor, who had not held office in 20 years, really be the ultimate comeback kid and be elected Governor? As the Herald Leader put it the morning after his mandate-winning election, it was Beshear by Far!

And then there was August of 2007. When then-Senator Barack Obama came to Lexington, he was popular, but could he win? Could he really become President of the United States? Well, on November 4th of last year, we answered that question with a refrain of “Yes He Can!”

We have a great deal to be proud of. Young Democrats across the Commonwealth – but more specifically, our chapter here in Lexington – have worked hard to restore the American dream not only for those in our city, but across the state and indeed the country. Consider that Fayette County was the only county in Kentucky in which all of the Democratic candidates up for election, won. While some lost their elections statewide, Fayette County at least proved that after eight years of divisive politics and policies, it was time for a change.

· · · · ·

This year is the first of my presidency in which we do not have an election. While I have enjoyed being in campaign mode for those years, I look forward to this moment in our organization’s history because it can be as transformative for us as the past two years of elections have been for our Commonwealth and our nation.

Last Thursday, members new and old gathered at Fayette County Democratic Party headquarters and elected new officers. I am proud of the team that will take us into this promising future. Members of the 2009 executive committee are:

Colmon Elridge, President
Andrea Ewen, Vice President
Rachael Fodness, Treasurer
Victoria Elridge, Secretary
John Malloy & Ally McIntosh, Communications Directors
Lamin Swann, Membership Director
Hillary Bullock, High School Director
Clint Morris, College Director

We are truly blessed that these individuals have stepped up to lead our organization and county forward. If you are interested in supporting their work, step up and speak out. We welcome all individuals who want to have a voice in building a strong coalition of young progressives in Central Kentucky.

In the coming weeks, the new EC will meet and discuss ways to move our organization forward. These conversations will entail everything from fundraising, to issue statements, to new community service projects that allow us to give back. If you have ideas, please do not hesitate to e-mail me or join our Facebook group and leave a note with your ideas. The culmination of this work will be our “Blueprint for the 21st Century,” a guide detailing how we will move forward as an organization.

· · · · ·

The Democratic Party is enjoying a renaissance not because of partisanship or ideology but rather because we have always been the party to remind America of what has made her so successful. With our big tent, big ideas, and ability to turn those ideas into action, we have always been the party to get America moving again.

The great part about being a YD is that we have an opportunity to learn from our leaders today and be prepared to assume our roles tomorrow as stewards of this great Commonwealth. Take advantage of every opportunity and let us move Kentucky into the position we know it should be in!

We’ve a great deal to be proud of, but the work never ends! As long as there is poverty, we can never be rich. As long as there is homelessness, we can never truly be too comfortable in our beds at night. As long as there is sickness that can be cured, we can never truly be healthy. And as long as there is work to be done, we will continue to fight for what is right!

Onward,
Colmon