A group of about 50 local voters gathered Wednesday night in Johnson City to talk party politics with the newly elected chairwoman of the state’s Democratic party.
Mary Mancini, who was elected chairwoman the state committee in January, made Northeast Tennessee the first stop on her statewide “Listening Tour.” She is crossing the state to talk about the party’s plans for the future and gather feedback from Democrats across the state. Local Democrats from Carter, Johnson, Unicoi, Washington and Sullivan counties —including several county party chairmen — were in attendance.
“I know that by working together, Democrats can achieve victories at the ballot box and implement the Democratic policies that will make Tennessee better for all of us,” Mancini said.
Part of achieving those victories, she said, is making sure the party works to get active in their communities, recruit excellent candidates and take back their “brand” and make it their own again.
“For too long we’ve let the Republican’s define us,” Mancini said, adding the party must focus on working-class issues.

“The message we want to put out there is one of economic justice,” she said. “Every time we go out on social messages we are playing into what the Republican’s want.”
The Democratic party should focus on issues such as increasing the minimum wage and making health care affordable and attainable for every one.
“We are the party of the people. I have seen that,” Mancini said. “Let’s talk about the issues that affect working people. That is what we should be standing up and talking about.”
Mancini also discussed strategies to build voter and party bases; fundraising ideas; grassroots organization tactics; media targeting and platform issues.