The Tulare County Democratic Party will start the new year with a grand opening on Friday., January 23 opening of a year round-office in downtown Visalia and its first step to enhance its presence and preparation for the 2016 election cycle.
Ruben Macareno, chairman of the Tulare County Democratic Party, states the local Democratic Central Committee is moving forward with the vision of making the local party an effective entity by having a centralized location to meet, organize, strategize, work and prepare for future elections particularly for those in 2016.
“It’s a long time coming and necessary,” said Macareno.
Macareno’s background as an editorial department administrator at the Los Angeles Times and staffer at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials in Washington DC, felt running a smooth political operation requires a workspace. This is something local Democrats have not had other than a three-month lease leading up to the presidential election every four years.
After the June 2014 Primary, Democrats faired poorly. The party’s federal, state and local candidate results in county returns were low and in the state assembly race, in particular, no Democrat made it onto the general election ballot, including Macareno who also ran along with two other Democrats.
As county chair, Macareno took the obligatory role to find what needs fixing.
He immediately conducted a series of meetings and joined a general election campaign for supervisor to get a firsthand look into the operations of local Democratic campaign practices. Macareno made numerous notations of meetings, experiences and results.
Local party officials felt that before the local party can be restructured, the first step would be to open an office so all that is being discussed and planned can be conducted in an environment of continuity.
“The reorganization needs to begin at the top then on down to its clubs, candidates, volunteers and others,” said Macareno.
The local SEIU group afforded the county committee a space for its monthly meetings. Prior to Macareno becoming chairman, meetings were conducted in restaurants.
The central committee’s general meetings will be held in a conference room and smaller committee meetings within the office.
Macareno stresses that the office is not a campaign office, but an administrative and fundraising office. The campaign headquarters for the Presidential Election cycle will be at another site and will open at the appropriate time.
The Grand Opening will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Montgomery Square, 208 W. Main Street, Suite K in downtown Visalia. Food and drinks will be served. The public is invited to attend.
For more information email ruben.macareno@tularecdp.org or call 559-372-7206.