As our nation begins to face life under a Supreme Court dominated by six conservative Republicans, the Oakmont Democratic Club at its July 28th 7PM meeting will feature two local leaders who are central to building campaigns to fight for our rights and our democracy: Pat Sabo, Chair of the Sonoma County Democratic Party and Marty Bennett, longtime lead union organizer.
The Thursday, July 28th meeting of the ODC will be held outside in the patio of the CAC (Central Activity Center). A social with great refreshments will start at 6:30 PM with the program following at 7PM. This will be in-person only. Bring your own beverage to share.
The fall election provides an opportunity to hold the House and break the Senate’s 50/50 deadlock by winning additional seats. Eight to ten Congressional seats in California are expected to be hotly contested. This means control of the House is likely to be decided by California. Many Oakmonters are already postcarding and a number of Oakmonters are planning to take day trips to Josh Harder’s nearby district to help keep the House Blue!
Pat Sabo, a retired teacher, has helped build the Sonoma County Democratic Party (SCDP) into a force that has helped elect local representatives who have made our county a leader in protecting the environment and promoting racial and economic justice. The Sonoma County Democratic Party has helped build eight different Democratic Clubs in our county. Additionally, the SCDP helps recruit candidates and provides training in how to create winning campaigns. Pat regularly meets with key local leaders and just returned from a statewide meeting of Democrats looking at how we move forward in California in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decisions on women’s rights, the environment, guns, and reducing the separation of church and state.
Marty Bennett, founder of North Bay Jobs with Justice, is helping both mobilize campaigns in California and is putting together local teams to travel to Reno. Nevada is important to what happens nationally both now, and in 2024-the Governor’s race and the Senate race are toss ups this year. Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto is a primary target of the Republican Party in their bid to recapture the Senate. She supports codifying Roe vs. Wade. Reno in recent years has become a battleground that likely will provide the winning margin in both races.
Marty Bennett is also Instructor Emeritus of American History at Santa Rosa Junior College where he has taught for twenty-five years. He is also a Research and Policy Analyst for UNITE HERE 2850, a union representing restaurant, hotel, gaming, and food service workers in the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, Bennett is one of the founders of the North Bay Organizing Project (NBOP), a faith-based community-organizing project in Sonoma County.