A new Democratic headquarters opens in Wooster

Before last Saturday the Wayne County Democratic Party didn’t have a physical headquarters. That all changed with the grand opening of its new office. The event was attended by party officials, candidates and members of the general public.

“In previous years we were in the Freeman Building, but fortunately a very supportive Democrat who passed away recently was instrumental in getting this building,” said Bill Bailey, Wayne County Democratic Party chair.

“I am thrilled to have a Wayne County Democratic Party headquarters. It gives us a base from which to work and is a physical presence in our community,” said Kevin Barnet, candidate for the Ohio Statehouse.

Barnet said the spirit of the blue wave has rejuvenated the Democratic Party in Wayne County.

“Honestly we were not doing a good job,” Barnet said. “We held one meeting a month and added a second this year with the introduction of our speakers series, yet our web page was not current, and we didn’t have a presence on Facebook. If you were a Democrat in Wayne County, you had to work to find us. That has all changed now. We are now updated and motivated.”

“This will be great because it gives us a center for having meetings, having candidates come to speak, hosting educational programs on the issues and offering a center for distribution of literature, phone banking and more,” Bailey said before having to leave to attend a local fundraiser for Steve Dettelbach, former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio who is now the candidate for Ohio attorney general.

Among the candidates present at the meeting were Adam Vanho, candidate for state senator, and Rodney Mackey, candidate for Wayne County commissioner.

Vanho is running in the 27th District, which includes all of Wayne County and parts of Summit and Stark counties.

“I want to thank all the people here for coming out,” Vanho said. “You can’t do this without trained and experienced people, and I’m confident this new office will help in that effort. If we don’t figure out how to make change, our children are not going to grow up in the same Ohio.”

Vanho said he is running basically on four issues: job growth, small businesses, Ohio families and Ohio’s future.

An attorney who has served as an assistant attorney general and assistant Summit County prosecutor, Vanho also is a small business owner himself.

Rodney Mackey is a Democrat running for county commissioner. Recently retired after 41 years with Seaman Corp., he said he feels good about the opening of the new office. “This office gives us a better way to reach out to the community and convey our message,” he said.

Though Mackey said he thinks the blue wave movement is more of a national phenomenon, of politics in general he said, “I still think all politics is local. I think most people are interested and concerned about what goes on right here in their backyard.”

Democratic field organizer Lee Columber, whose territory covers Wayne and Stark counties, said he was enthusiastic about the new office. “I’ve been doing this since college, and these are some of the most motivated people I’ve seen,” he said.

Informational literature, yard signs, T-shirts, buttons and bumper stickers were available and remain available at the office as well as sign-up sheets for volunteer opportunities such as phone banking and door-to-door canvassing.

“This office shows Wayne County that Democrats are here. They don’t need to feel isolated in a red county,” Columber said.

The office is located at 503 E. Liberty St., Wooster.