Congratulations, Dave Brock. Now Prove the Party Can Change.
Dave Brock is once again the chair of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party.
Another four years.
And none of this was surprising, because nobody ran against him.
But when the chair of one of the most important Democratic counties in Ohio wins another term without a real challenge, the obvious question is why.
From what I have heard from people across the party structure, including Central Committee members, Executive Committee members, precinct people, and local Democratic club leaders, some people did not stay out because everything is great.
They stayed out because they did not want to be in the crosshairs.
They did not want retaliation.
They did not want to lose access.
They did not want to become the next person whispered about, frozen out, or punished.
If that is true, then that is a problem. Not just for Dave Brock. For the Democratic Party.
The Democratic Party should be the place where democracy is practiced, not just preached. Real elections. Real debate. Real accountability. Real competition. Count the votes and respect the result.
So congratulations, Dave.
You have the position. You have the title. You have the salary. You have another four years.
Now here is what I want to see.
1. Reform the Endorsement Process
The first priority should be the endorsement process.
Personally, I think the party should end endorsements in contested Democratic primaries.
Party endorsements before voters decide put a thumb on the scale. They create insider lanes. They make non-endorsed Democrats feel like outsiders. They turn the sample ballot into a weapon. And the party has already chosen the candidate before the public gets a real say.
Matthew Ahn has put forward ideas to reform the endorsement process. From what I understand, his proposal is meant to be a compromise that preserves a role for the Executive Committee while opening the process enough for more people to run.
That should be discussed.
I still believe the best answer is no endorsements in contested Democratic primaries. But if the party refuses to go that far, then the process should at least become fairer, more open, and less punitive.
One idea worth considering is allowing multiple endorsements in a race. If the party insists on endorsing, it should be able to say more than one Democrat is qualified. That could bring more candidates into the sample ballot process, increase participation, and potentially create more revenue for the county party.
But my position remains simple.
No endorsements in contested Democratic primaries.
Let voters decide.
2. Write a Real Mission Statement
The second priority should be a clear mission statement.
Not just, “We need to elect more Democrats.”
That is not enough.
The Cuyahoga County Democratic Party should clearly define what it stands for. What kind of Democrats are we trying to elect? What values are we organizing around? How do we treat candidates? How do we treat dissent? How do we hold leadership accountable?
If the party cannot answer those questions, then it is nothing more than a ballot operation and an endorsement machine.
The party needs a statement of ideals that members, candidates, committee people, and voters can point to and say, this is what we are supposed to be building.
3. Make the Party Visible
The third priority should be culture.
The Cuyahoga County Democratic Party should be more public-facing, more welcoming, and more involved in the communities it claims to represent.
Too many people experience the party as something hidden behind closed doors. They see it when someone knocks on their door, asks for money, or hands them a sample ballot outside a polling location.
That is not enough.
The party should be at community events, fairs, festivals, parades, schools, union halls, senior centers, neighborhood meetings, local clubs, and public forums.
It should host trainings. Recognize volunteers. Recruit candidates. Help people understand how to run for office. Give people a reason to feel like they actually belong.
The resources are there.
Money. People. Energy. Creativity. Willingness to work.
But those resources have to be organized around something bigger than protecting the existing structure.
The Democratic Party should be a home.
Now Surprise Us
Congratulations, Dave Brock.
You won another four years.
Now show what the party really is.
Reform the endorsement process.
Write down the values that hold people within the party from top to bottom accountable.
Open the doors and build a party people can actually see, join, trust, and call home.
Thank you Matt! Great suggestions to allow the voters decide. Also appreciate the work you did for helping the voters get to know the candidates running in the primary races this year.
David Brock, King of the Cuyahoga County Democrats.