MDP Elects Lon Johnson, Chair
Lon Johnson was elected 2013-2014 Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party by acclamation at their convention Sat. 02.23.13
Elected by the Convention:
Chair: Lon Johnson
1st Vice Chair: Nancy Quarles
2nd Vice Chair: Sandra Hughes O'Brien
Elected by the Democratic State Central Committee
3rd Vice Chair: Ismael Ahmed
Treasurer: Mark Bernstein
Recording & Corresponding Secretary: Kevin Tolbert
In his speech (in full below), Johnson thanked Mark Brewer and welcomed him to stay
involved in Michigan politics “because we need him”. He said that we
must pull together and delivered a strong message of unity and moving
forward together into the new era of politics. “When we lose,” he said,
“We get right to work. When we win, workers are protected.”
Congratulations and best wishes to Lon Johnson, new Chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, and a sincere thank you for Mark Brewer for 18 years of dedicated service!
Lon Johnson's acceptance speech to the MDP 02.23.13
Fellow Democrats:
Today, we REMAKE our great Party, we RENEW our great purpose, and we RECLAIM our great state!
Together, WE will make Michigan … Michigan again!
This has been an incredible journey. And there are so many people I want to thank – starting with my wife, Julianna Smoot.
I want to thank our two great Senators, Senator Levin and Senator Stabenow.
And I want to thank our entire Democratic delegation – Congressman
Dingell, Congressman Conyers, Congressman Levin, Congressman Peters, and
Congressman Kildee. Thank you.
I want to thank former Governor Jim Blanchard, former Lt. Gov. John Cherry, and former Congressman Bart Stupak.
I also want to thank a good friend, and a great Democrat: Mark Brewer.
I know that this has been a spirited campaign. But I – and, I know,
WE – have always respected and admired all that Mark has done for our
Party. And I hope he’s ready to do more – because we need him.
Most of all, I want to thank all of you.
Some of you came here to stand with me. Some of you with Mark. But
now, we must stand together – because when we don’t, bad things happen.
I am honored, and humbled, and grateful that you have chosen me to lead the charge. And I’m ready to get to work.
Let’s start by making one thing clear: This is Michigan. WE are Michigan.
Together, we’ve won six straight presidential contests.
Together, we’ve won six straight Senate contests.
President Obama won here by nine points, spending hardly any money, never coming here – and this was Romney’s home state!
This is Michigan! WE are Michigan.
These victories show our values.
We value diversity. We care about our environment. We believe in people. That’s Michigan. WE are Michigan.
Together, we must build a Party that is more than the sum of our parts.
Our institutional partners and the MDP have done great things together. We’ve changed Michigan. We’ve changed the world.
But now, the MDP must have the courage to change – the wisdom to add
new allies and the ability to maximize the power of individuals.
We can value our institutions and value the contributions of individuals. And doing both is the only way we win.
Democrats win when we practice the politics of addition. And we’ve seen it work.
President Obama was the personification of the politics of addition.
He was the right man at the right time. But what he had to work for,
what he had to build, what he had to maintain, were the tools and
technology to take all these new people who he brought to our party, and
get them moving in the same direction. He took a supporter and turned
them into a volunteer, a volunteer into a contributor, and a contributor
into a raiser. Compounding their engagement at every step.
How did he do that? He made it easy. He made it meaningful. And it changed the world.
We can do that here. We must do that to win. Because no one’s going to do it for us.
We don’t believe in trickle-down economics. We shouldn’t believe in trickle-down organizing.
If we want to win, we need to build this ourselves.
Winning matters. And to win, we need to change. We need to practice the politics of addition.
Because we are the “U-A-W,” the “I-B-T.” We are the “M-E-A” and the
“M-F-T.” But most importantly, WE ARE the “M-D-P.” And when we are the
“M-D-P,” we “W-I-N.” We win!
And when we don’t, bad things happen.
Losing means Michigan discriminates. Winning means equal rights for our LGBT brothers and sisters.
Losing means politicians decide. Winning means women choose.
Losing means our schools suffer. Winning means our kids can compete.
Losing means emergency managers. Winning means local control.
Losing means right to work. Winning means workers’ rights.
Winning matters.
Winning isn’t an opportunity. Winning is an obligation.
Winning is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year job. And we need the tools to win.
We need to restructure.
We need to double our operating budget.
We need to increase our commitment to minorities, women, and youth.
And we need the best technology.
We need to recruit, recruit, recruit. When we’re not adding, we’re dying.
Organizing has always about addition, about bringing people together
to do big things. Walter Reuther did it in a local. Coleman Young did it
at the TULC. Now they’re doing it on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube –
and we need to meet them there. Same strategies, new tactics.
That’s the politics of addition.
This starts right now.
Take out your phone. Right now. Take out your phone, hold it up, and take a picture of the people in this room.
Post it on Facebook. Put it on Twitter. Use the hashtag #thisismichigan.
Let’s show our state who we are, and that we’re ready to fight.
When Lansing looks like this room…and acts like this room – then we’ll be Michigan again!
This is just the beginning. We’ll have more for you to do. We’re just getting warmed up.
Thank you. Thanks for being here today. Thank you for having the
courage to change. Thank you for believing in the politics of addition.
Today, change came to the Michigan Democratic Party. In 619 days, change comes to Lansing.
And that’s when we’ll make Michigan Michigan again. Thank you! Let’s go win.
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