I am proud to serve as one of twenty elected members of the Democratic National Committee from California and chair of the DNC Small Business Owners Council.
I started my activism in the party as an ADEM representative and California Young Democrat and eventually was elected to E-Board, as a caucus chair and then DNC Member.
Even when I served as legislative staff to State Senator Curren Price and Congressman Ted Lieu, I continued my own grassroots involvement in the party, staying accessible to answer questions, attending Dem club events, passing along concerns to the DNC and speaking out when necessary against policies that I felt were not reflective of our values as Democrats.
This March, the Executive Board of the California Democratic Party will be voting for 20 DNC members (10 men and 10 women) to be California’s elected DNC members. At least two incumbents are not running again, opening up the opportunity for new faces and new and diverse voices and I will support more diversity to fill those seats.
A Record of Grassroots Responsiveness and Leadership.
When I first got involved with the party, I rarely saw my DNC members or knew who they were. When I ran for DNC I resolved to take my experience and do something different.
I have made transparency and accessibility a central point in my time on the DNC. In the last two years alone, I have been to 14 region meetings from Fresno and the Bay Area to Los Angeles and San Bernardino County, and attended county Democratic party events in San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Ventura Orange, San Diego and Los Angeles counties. I also do regular newsletters and udpates.
I believe I have been a responsive DNC Member, attending meetings of the DNC, the DNC Small Business Owner’s Council (which I chair) and the Western States Caucus of the DNC, representing the positions of the CDP, as well as relaying back updates and seeking input from Democratic activists.
I am proud to have received over 170 endorsements from current CDP E-Board Members for my re-election.
Here are some of the other things I have done as a DNC Member.
- Voted to reduce the influence of ex-officio delegates, including DNC members in the presidential nominating process.
- Supported a prohibition on the taking money from tobacco and fossil-fuel PACs
- Supported the DNC recognition of High School Young Democrats.
- Supported efforts at both the CDP and DNC level to host a debate or other substantial and comparative format on a major broadcast network during prime time to discuss climate change policy (I was a co-sponsor of the DNC Climate Debate resolution and worked closely with the sposnsors and advocates on building CDP support).
- Supported policies and party operations that stand by working people, create opportunities for small business and those that are economically disadvantaged.
- Respected and supported the positions of the CDP when voting at the DNC
- Led national efforts to increase small business owner participation in party involvement, including creating a national small business owners council newsletter, helping to establish small business caucuses in 14 states and organizing a set of tools to help Democratic small business advocates share best practices to combat years of lies about Republicans “helping” small businesses.
Andrew Lachman 