Local pols dismiss Dean as new DNC Chair

Local political party chairs have different opinions on what Howard Dean, who was just elected chairman of the Democratic Party, will mean for politics in Sevier County. Dean, who lost badly in the Democratic primary, was a firebrand who revolutionized his party in numerous ways through Internet fundraising and increased voter registration.
At the same time, Dean’s infamous scream during his concession speech at the Iowa caucuses was heard around the nation.
His anti-war politics may have energized party activists, but voters turned out overwhelmingly in support of President Bush.
Dean only won one primary, his home state of Vermont, and garnered just 126 votes in Sevier County.
Like many Republicans nationwide, Sevier County Republicans are giddy at the prospect of Dean as DNC chair.
“I think on the surface it appears to be good for the Republican Party,” said Rob Ailey, chairman of the Sevier County Republican Party. “I do feel like it definitely shows where the Democrats are going philosophically in the next couple of years.”
Sevier County is a very red county which supported President Bush by a 3 to 1 margin or 22,143 votes to 8,621 votes over his rival Senator John Kerry.
Because Sevier County is very “red” to begin with, Ailey said it will be hard for Democrats to make inroads especially now that Dean is DNC chair.
“It’s hard to see how Dean’s election will help the Republicans in Sevier County because we are already the party of choice for most people,” he said.
Still elated over President Bush’s victory, Tom McGaha, vice chair of the Sevier County Republican Party, predicts Dean will have little crossover appeal among swing voters or moderate Democrats otherwise known as Reagan Democrats.
“If Dean has any crossover appeal, it will be for people converting over to the Republican Party,” he said.
Ailey remembers some of the outrageous comments Dean made during the primaries such as when he said the capture of Saddam Hussein would have no effect on the war on terrorism.
“It all boils down to a candidate’s values,” he said. “That’s why we saw a lot of Democrats vote for George Bush. Personally if I was a Southern Democrat and seeing some of his stands on issues and some of the comments he made during the primaries, I would view his election as DNC chair as offensive and as something to worry about in the future.”
Butch Helton, chairman of the Sevier County Democratic Party, thinks Dean will be a good thing for the party because he is a good organizer, fundraiser and has the ability to energize the base.
“I think Dean will be a hard worker and a good organizer,” said Helton. “Dean has a lot of pluses and minuses; and how this affects our party remains to be seen.”
Even though Helton supports Dean, he is cautious about Dean’s prospects in the red states.
“I’m taking a wait and see attitude to see how he does,” he said. “Dean wants to campaign hard in the red states and I think he can begin to make inroads in the South, but there is a tough job ahead of him.”
Helton, who was chair of the committee to elect John Kerry in Sevier County, admitted it is hard to be Democrat in Sevier County especially a liberal Democrat as Dean is perceived by many to be.
“I just hope we don’t stray away from our core values as Democrats,” he said.