More than 225 Fannin County Democrats packed the Fannin County Annex in Bonham for the 2008 Fannin County Democratic Convention held Saturday, March 29. Gene Marshall, Fannin County Democratic Party Chair – and elected County Convention Chair – chaired the meeting where the main order of business was to elect the 12 delegates to the Texas State Democratic Party Convention to be held June 5-7 in Austin.
Seated front and center were 148 delegates selected at Precinct Conventions (624 Fannin County Democrats attended the Precinct Conventions) on primary election night; such is the interest in the heated race between the Democratic Presidential candidates that 90% of the delegates selected after the March 4 primary election were in attendance on Saturday. In precincts where a delegate was not able to attend a signed-in alternate took their place. In addition to the delegates, alternates, friends, families and visitors filled the Annex, along with Democratic candidates David Turner, Steve Edwards and Dewayne Strickland.
While the proceedings were definitely crowded, the sometimes raucous and good- natured crowd all seemed to enjoy the event, the largest of its kind ever held in Fannin County. In addition to the crowd in the Annex, the parking area outside the Annex and neighboring streets were overflowing with cars.
Prior to being seated Delegates and Alternates were registered as they came in and at times the registration line stretched outside the building. Once the delegates and alternates were registered and seated according to their precincts, the session was called to order after pledging allegiance to the flag.
After a discussion of convention rules by Convention Chair Marshall, the delegates broke into caucus groups according to election precinct and selected their delegates. Then the nominations committee winnowed the 48 Delegates nominated into a representative group of potential delegates, based on demographic and ethnic factors as well as Presidential Choice. By a quirk in party rules, the caucuses came up with 9 Clinton delegates and 3 Obama delegates and opposed to the 8 to 4 ratio dictated by the primary night caucuses.
In a remarkable show of harmony, the convention voted to stay with the 8 to 4 ratio determined in the primary election (even though a majority of the delegates present were Clinton supporters), and Clinton Delegate Carolyn Correa of Bonham, graciously agreed to become an alternate thus speeding up the process.
The final Delegate and Alternate Slate:
For Hillary Clinton
Delegates
· Steven Bolin, Leonard
· Joanne Duncan, Trenton
(Delegation chair)
· John Fornof, Ladonia
· Dennis Holman, Telephone
· Carol Moore, Savoy
· Don Osborn, Ravenna
· Judy Teller, Bonham
· Tammy Whitlock, Honey Grove
Alternates
· Anitra Bagwell, Trenton
· Catherine Blackhawk, Ivanoe
· Carolyn Correa, Bonham
· Betty Evans, Leonard
· Dennis Hagar, Bonham
· Steven Hale, Bonham
· Christopher Hollis, Bonham
· Toni Mason, Dodd City
For Barack Obama
Delegates
Cynthia Franklin, Ladonia
Carlos Gilstrap, Bonham
Rob Holman, Bonham
Eugene Johnson III, Honey Grove
Alternates
Tracey Briggs, Bonham
Lance Ott, Trenton
Ollie Scott, Ladonia
Joe Turner, Leonard
“The event was a great success,” says Chair Gene Marshall. “Even though dealing with that many people signing in and picking up badges everything went pretty smoothly. It was wonderful to see how attendees who had signed in just pitched in to help wherever they saw something that needed dealing with. The mood was totally upbeat and the energy and enthusiasm was just great.”
“It really was Democracy in action,” says Nominations Committee Chair Jim Echeandia. It was not easy selecting the 12 final delegates from the enthusiastic group of 48. The Committee was amazed that so many people passionately wanted to attend the State Convention. All potential delegates and alternates were invited up on the stage so that we could start the whittling-down process and it was great to see how people who went up front in contest for the seats worked in out between them without a vote.”
Joanne Duncan of Trenton was elected Delegation Chair for the Fannin County Delegates headed to Austin. “I was just so impressed with the whole proceeding and the generosity, camaraderie and enthusiasm of the Convention attendees was truly inspiring. It was a lot of fun too and we all appreciate the hard work the organizers put in to making the event happen. Now it’s on to Austin and we’re all looking forward to attending the State Convention.”