Candidate for
Democratic Party County Central Committee; County of San Francisco; Assembly District 12

What the San Francisco DCCC is and Why it is Important

Most of you have heard of the Democratic National Committee. Less of you have heard of the California Democratic Party. An even small number of you even know that each county actually has a Democratic County Central Committee (DCCC).

Whether you have heard of the SF DCCC or not, it definitely exists.   During each Democratic Primary Election, San Francisco voters -- residents in the 12th and 13th Assembly Districts -- elect 24 members to the DCCC. This elected body of Democrats is the official decision-making body for the San Francisco Democratic Party.   The grassroots of the local Democratic Party are individual voters and the Democratic clubs who are chartered by the DCCC. There are, literally, dozens of these Clubs and they purport to represent a diverse range of constituencies and geographical areas.

The charge, as I see it, is to work with these Clubs and other interested Democrats to build and strengthen the Party so that we are capable of advancing our issues and candidates in the most democratic way possible. There are three concrete Party-building functions that DCCC members are elected to do: register new voters, educate and inform voters and raise money to support the first two functions.

In San Francisco, the DCCC has been an incubator for Democrats with aspirations for higher office and also been the link between the local and State Party. Since the DCCC endorses candidates and propositions, the influence of this elected body cannot be undersold.   Given the current state of the Democratic Party (at all levels) it is important that we support candidates who are Democrats -- first and foremost -- and hold a true committment to democratic values. We also need to support candidates who are willing and able to carry out the charge of the office they are seeking. The San Francisco Democratic Party does not exist in a vacuum and Democrats elsewhere need to know that they can depend on us to nurture the grassroots of our local Party.

When a Democrat classifies her/himself as a "progressive", "liberal" or "moderate", it means little if we are not doing our job to increase our numbers, offer up compelling arguments for our candidates and issues and ultimately, turn out in record numbers on Election Day.

We need a united and forward-thinking Democratic Party working to support the Democratic Nominee and running mate.....unless you think we would be better off with four more years of G. W. Bush.

Malik Looper