* Press release…
On November 7, 2015 the General Membership of the Illinois Democratic County Chairman’s Association met in Springfield to discuss the future leadership of the organization. During this meeting Macoupin County Democratic Party Chairman Mike Mathis stepped down as President of IDCCA. President Mathis said “I have decided to run for State Representative for the Illinois 95th District. It will be a challenging campaign and one that I intend to win. I also don’t want to hold back the progress of this organization. So I will be stepping aside as President to allow someone else to take up the charge of leading us.” Mathis is also the Macoupin County Circuit Clerk and has held this office since 1996.
The General Membership of the IDCCA moved quickly to fill the position of President of the organization. Rock Island County Democratic Party Chairman Doug House was unanimously elected President to serve out the remaining term. President House has a long commitment to the Democratic Party and to Organized Labor. He has been the Chairman of the Rock Island County Democratic Party since April 2012 serving as a Precinct Committeeman for the past 30 years in Rock Island. He is also a 25 year member of Operating Engineers Local 150. President House has also served as the Political Director to the late Congressman Lane Evans.
“It is an honor to be elected to lead this organization. We are the grassroots of the Democratic Party and we are stronger today than ever before. I would like to thank Mike Mathis for his leadership and I look forward to working with him to get him elected State Rep.” President House said.
When asked about an issue that the IDCCA will face in the 2016 Election cycle, President House said “Governor Rauner has made it his mission to destroy Organized Labor in this state. The Illinois Democratic County Chairman’s Association will not stand for this. Rauner believes that tearing down our State and cutting services to millions to innocent residents is the best way to lead. We know that he is wrong and we are going to fight for these people.”
President House will serve out the remainder of the term left by Mike Mathis and will end in May 2016.
- ToughGuy - Wednesday, Nov 11, 15 @ 12:11 pm:
He served the organization well and will be a great State Representative for the 95th. Our current Representative, Avery Bourne, voted present way too many times on important issues which has a lot of people in the district grumbling.
- Handle Bar Mustache - Wednesday, Nov 11, 15 @ 12:23 pm:
The chairmen chose wisely. Doug is solid as a rock.
- @MisterJayEm - Wednesday, Nov 11, 15 @ 12:26 pm:
Now that Madigan has the keys to the party’s voter file, what does the IDCCA do? I know they host a brunch/fundraiser, but that’s only once a year.
I looked for clues on their website and… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
– MrJM
- Almost the Weekend - Wednesday, Nov 11, 15 @ 12:45 pm:
MrJM
I think if you see what House has done in Rock Island County since he took over their local party, it was a great decision promoting him. Then again they don’t comment on this website to defend themselves.
Don’t get me wrong the chairman’s association needs work they took a lot for granted under Quinn. I think they realize that now. Alot of these County chairman have only been around when Dems had the governor post. I’m sure it’s a wake up call for a lot of them. Especially the ones that work for the state.
- illini - Wednesday, Nov 11, 15 @ 1:37 pm:
Honestly, I thought Alan Pirtle from Randolph or St Clair County was still the chairman - must have missed some changes.
But then again, the only communication I have ever gotten from the Organization was the tickets to the Breakfast in Springfield on Democrat Day at the State Fair. This, in my opinion, is a fairly ineffective group - it is only as strong as the County Chairman who will take an active leadership role, and there are some very weak and, in my opinion, some useless County Chairs! Yet, I know that on a yearly basis, our small county, and without a vote of the Central Committee, has sent Hundreds of Dollars to the ILDCCA.
I do have great respect for Cong Evans and hope that his protege can make this group relevant and an independent voice for Illinois Democrats.
- illini - Wednesday, Nov 11, 15 @ 1:45 pm:
MrJM - yeah, their website is a joke.
And are you talking about VoteBuilder? At one time that was the property if the ILDCCA and the local County Chairs all had access to it.
- Former state employee - Wednesday, Nov 11, 15 @ 2:09 pm:
Great choice. Doug House is a solid performer
- Jake Leonard - Wednesday, Nov 11, 15 @ 4:09 pm:
I don’t see the votes for the Democrats to take the district for the first time since Gary Hannig controlled the former 98th District for three decades before being tapped to head IDOT.
Perfect opportunity for a Libertarian uprising in 2016, as the Libertarian Party of Illinois would have more to gain by winning a House seat than the Democrats retaking another district.
(It’s very apparent both major parties have ruined this state, especially those from Chicago.)
- Anon - Wednesday, Nov 11, 15 @ 4:11 pm:
Word down here is Rauner is pumping $700,000 to 1M into Bourns campaign in order to use her as a puppet.
- Resident of the 95th - Wednesday, Nov 11, 15 @ 5:36 pm:
Anon,
If that rumor was true I think it works in favor of the challenger. Folks down hear like the illusion of independence in their elected officials. After all Sam McCann was originally elected solidly from this area.
- illini - Wednesday, Nov 11, 15 @ 6:13 pm:
So where exactly did this come from and what am I missing — ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I’ve seen this before.
- Louis Howe - Wednesday, Nov 11, 15 @ 6:47 pm:
Democratic Party support in non-metro areas, such a downstate Illinois, has collapsed over the last 25 years. Doug’s has a tough job, but he was well trained by Cong. Evans.
- illini - Wednesday, Nov 11, 15 @ 7:01 pm:
LouisHowe - exactly right, and I have been back in rural Southern Illinois for the past 25 years and have seen the changes in the voting patterns. It began with the Reagan Democrats and has continued to this day.
Many, many of my neighbors continually vote against their best interest because of what has become an ingrained impression of what the Democrat Party stands for. And some of our current, and past, state leaders do little to mute that impression.
- railrat - Wednesday, Nov 11, 15 @ 7:23 pm:
25 years in IUOE 150 ? doing what ?
- @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 8:17 am:
“At one time that was the property if the ILDCCA and the local County Chairs all had access to it.”
The switch to the state party happened a while back and is discussed a bit here: https://capitolfax.com/2014/02/19/fight-over-voter-file/
– MrJM