Marcus Paca, making his first run for office against an 11-term incumbent, failed to win a party endorsement Monday night, but vowed to press on with a primary campaign.
Paca is running for the Democratic nomination for alderman in Ward 24, in the Edgewood neighborhood. He faces Liz McCormack, who was first elected in 1987. The race has captured citywide attention. It centers on the question of leadership — new blood versus experience. It has also become something of a proxy for competing camps within the citywide Democratic Party.
At a packed meeting inside the Whalley substation, the party’s ward comittee voted 23 – 6 to back McCormack Monday night.
McCormack said afterwards, “I plan to continue what I have been doing” — canvassing the ward and organizing house parties.
Paca, too, vowed to press ahead, gathering signatures to qualify for a September primary against McCormack.
It was an unusually unscripted political affair Monday night. Both candidates made their pitches to the crowd and were afforded 45 seconds to answer each question from committee members. Beforehand, Paca helped staff a lemonade and cookies table outside the substation …
… while McCormack supporters handed out flyers to incoming ward committee members.
Cherice Dykes, Paca’s campaign manager, questioned why Paca’s team couldn’t find out who sits on the ward committee. (Democratic Town Committee Chairwoman Susie Voigt said Monday that there are no bylaws in the local Democratic Party dictating that the lists be made public, or that the meetings be publicly noticed.) Committee members identified themselves at the start of the meeting.
Previous coverage of the Ward 24 primary race:
• A Proxy Battle?
• Challenger Takes On Edgewood Veteran
• Will Trees = Votes?
• Candidate Owes Child Support
• Mayor Sticks By Paca
This last issue, about who is on the Ward committee is a serious one. This has been a reoccurring issue both in 2007 and now again throughout the city. Either no one knows who is on these committees, or the Town Committee is obstructing candidates from finding out. At this point, I am inclined to believe that the ward committees are largely disorganized. Ward committee listed could so simply be added to web that it is an embarrassing omission. Additionally, many people don't even know Ward committees exist and how they operate such as elected Co-Chairs. The Democratic Town Committee has failed its most basic function - to engage people in the electoral process. I wonder why? Do new people question the status quo too often?