Monday, July 28, 2008

With Family Like This, Who Needs Enemies?

Kudos to Jen Wagner at http://www.hoosierpoliticalreport.com/ for catching that Sam Carson, cousin to Andre Carson, is running against Ed Treacy to fill the vacancy for Marion County Democratic Party Chair. Sam Carson has no political track record that anyone can find, so why he is doing this is a mystery. What we do know is that the Congressman is strongly supporting Treacy, which shows that Carson is politically astute.

Some will say, “Let Democracy work. Treacy will win easily with the Congressman’s support.” Unfortunately, it’s a sad reality that a single contest for county chair might not draw a quorum among precinct committee folks for the meeting, which is this Wednesday. If the county fails to fill the vacancy, by state party rules, the Indiana Democratic Party takes over and selects the next Marion County Chairman. That would be quite embarrassing for Marion County (though I suppose most Marion County Democrats have grown somewhat accustomed to this feeling over the past two years).

City-County Council legal counsel and Monroe Gray attorney, Aaron Haith, was also making phone calls to gauge support for his candidacy, but he smartly opted not to challenge Treacy. Though Haith is likeable and well-known for supervising GOTV efforts for the party, had he prevailed (he wouldn't have), he might as well have painted a bull’s eye on his chest for Republican County Chair Tom John. If Haith is interested in moving up the political hierarchy, he needs to wash the Gray out of his hair.


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4 comments:

Wilson46201 said...

Recently the Indianapolis Republicans of the 7th Congressional had to have a Caucus to select their sacrificial lamb after their previous candidate Jon Elrod just up and quit.

Only 77 GOP precinct committeepeople showed up to vote although there are over 400 precincts: a turnout of about 20% or less. Kinda feeble!

Sam might have done everybody a favor making it a faux horserace. Getting folk to turnout on a summer night for a fait accompli is sorta difficult...

Sam's quixotic and abortive run should dispel the erroneous notion that it was solely the magic of the name "Carson" that got André elected. It certainly helped but it took much hard word and skillful organization too!

Jon E. Easter said...

Sam Carson has withdrawn from the race. Ed Treacy is now the only candidate. This is confirmed through several sources.

Wilson46201 said...

Darn! With Sam in the race, there was to be an actual horserace but now will the precinct committeepeople turnout with a quorum to elect Ed Treacy unanimously?

We shall see Wednesday night...

Wilson46201 said...

According to WTHR at
http://tinyurl.com/5frfok
it was precisely Sam's quixotic bid that triggered the need for a quorum. It looks like Ed will be elected unanimously by whoever shows up on Wednesday night...