Democrats gather to talk strategies

Eastern Washington Conference draws nearly 200 members

MOSES LAKE — Democrats want to take back eastern Washington, and many party faithful gathered at Big Bend Community College Friday and Saturday to talk about strategies to help achieve that goal.

Nearly 200 party members attended discussions at the Eastern Washington Conference in the Grant County Advanced Technology and Education Center, with panel discussion and speeches by U.S. Congressmen Rick Larsen and Jay Inslee and Washington State Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown. Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer also took part in a breakfast with the Democrats via video conference.

Washington State Democrats Chair Paul Berendt told his fellow party members Saturday night that in listening to speakers like Schweitzer, the party developed some good ideas for electing Democrats and given participants good information to take back to their respective counties.

"The most encouraging thing going on in our politics right now," Berendt said, "is that we have really developed leadership, and that gives me hope for the future."

In taking back eastern Washington for Democrats, Congressman Larsen said part of the discussion should be to discuss their views on issues, but he said that discussion also should center around Democratic values like equality, opportunity and freedom. In his speech to the party, Larsen reminded attendees of lyrics from the Woody Guthrie song "Roll on Columbia," about hydroelectric dams on the Columbia River in saying that the Democrats have again reached a new beginning in eastern Washington.

"I think Democrats have a great opportunity to create a new dawn in eastern Washington as well," Larsen said.

Larsen also pointed to issues like agriculture, a committee he sits on in the U.S. House of Representatives, and said that opportunities should be open to farmers and ranchers to help get their products to other countries in the global market.

In addition to improving transportation infrastructure statewide, Larsen told his fellow Democrats that work also needs to be done to invest in the infrastructure of agriculture research to grow the future of agriculture.

One crop area Congressman Inslee said more focus should be put on in eastern Washington is that of the biofuels industry. Inslee said the Democratic party both statewide and nationally understands that biofuels are the future of the energy industry, and said crops like mustard and grape seed could help grow a stable product and help the industry develop eastern Washington.

"It's great for economic development, great for national security, and great for the environment," Inslee said.

To help Democrats win in the 2006 election, Inslee said party members just need to get Democrats to run in every race they can next year and show that Democrats are the party of issues like fiscal responsibility and economic development.

Longtime Democrat Don McDowall said after the conference that he was reassured that Grant County Democrats are performing at a grassroots level. He mentioned a panel discussion held early Saturday with party members from different backgrounds including Democratic gun owners, environmental Democrats and young Democrats; and McDowall said that panel showed the diversity of the party, as well as its ability to come together in unity.

This conference was a first step for Berendt, who ended the Saturday night banquet by telling county Democratic leaders that they need to go back to their counties and find and run qualified candidates in the next election.

"Let's go forth, let's fight hard, let's recruit candidates and support them," Berendt said.