Madison County Democrats elect Federation’s B. Dean Webb as first vice chair

Federation endorses circuit judge candidates

Madison County Democrats have chosen their slate of officers next year, including Labor leader B. Dean Webb as first vice chair.

It’s a new position for Webb, who will also chair the newly-formed Committee on Workers’ Rights.

Webb is president of the Greater Madison County Federation of Labor and secretary-treasurer of Machinists Local Lodge 660. At the Federation meeting on July 28, Webb said it feels like every election is “the most important of our lifetime,” but it’s still true, especially in the judiciary.

“If the Republicans take over the Circuit Court, I can guarantee you, you will never see another Democratic associate judge on the bench, because that’s how they work,” Webb said. “Democrats play nice, but Republicans try to crush us… There’s a lot of union cases that go to the court that we don’t even realize. We need to retain control for friends of working people in this circuit court.”

Webb said this year’s Democratic slate for local office is the best-qualified they’ve seen, including state Sen. Kristopher Tharp, state House candidate Joe Silkwood, and the Democratic slate of judges.

“We’re trying to educate our members on electing union-friendly, worker-friendly candidates,” Webb said.

OTHER OFFICERS
Randy Harris was re-elected as chairman of the Madison County Democratic Party. Other officers include Michael “Doc” Holliday Sr. as second vice chair; Chantal Chandler as recording secretary; Nekisha Omotola as treasurer; Andrew Asadorian and Denny Weber as sergeants-at-arms.

“What a great night for the Madison County Democratic Party,” Harris said. “Our entire party is excited to get to work, tell the residents of Madison County what we fight for and believe in, and explain the vast differences between us and the anti-worker, anti-woman, anti-equality and anti-rights Republican Party.”

The officers were elected by acclamation in a gathering Wednesday of the Madison County Democratic Central Committee.

As the first act of the board, the party formed two new committees: the Workers’ Rights Committee to be chaired by Webb, and the Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, to be chaired by Omotola.

FEDERATION ENDORSEMENTS
At the Greater Madison County Federation of Labor, circuit judge candidates Ryan Jumper, Barry Julian and Ebony Huddleston and County Board member Chris Hankins (D-Pontoon Beach) spoke briefly to the representatives before the Federation council voted to endorse them. Also endorsed were county clerk/recorder Debbie Ming-Mendoza and county board member Matthew King (D-East Alton).