Kate Franch was elected to her second term as county chair at the Greenville County Democratic Party’s biennial convention on March 1, 2018.
Joining Franch is an active leadership team “of native Greenvillians and transplants and spanning the age range and communities that define a Greenville County that consistently ranks as one of the most vibrant and appealing places to live in the country,” she notes. “The officers elected at the convention continue the GCDP’s tradition of reflecting the diversity of our Upstate home.” Four of the officers are new to the leadership team.
The 2018-2020 county executive committee officers are: Chair: Kate Franch; First Vice Chair: Jalen Elrod; Second Vice Chair: Whitney Wright; Third Vice Chair: Tina Belge; State Executive Committeeman: Chris Shipman; State Executive Committeewoman: Katy Lentz; Alternate State Executive Committeewoman: Roxanne Cordonier; Alternate State Executive Committeeman: Cass Tyson.
In addition to electing leadership, the assembled 141 delegates also voted on a slate of resolutions to be submitted to the South Carolina Democratic Party for consideration in the state platform. They ranged from investing in free technical college education to supporting common sense gun controls, favoring a single-payer healthcare system, supporting the development of alternative energy, and opposing any offshore drilling or mining.
The convention was also an opportunity for candidates for local, state, and federal offices to address the assembly of 250 Democrats.
Gubernatorial candidates Phil Noble, Rep. James Smith, and Marguerite Willis discussed their records and positions. The convention also heard from Melvin Whittenburg, running for secretary of state; Hosea Cleveland and Mary Geren, running for Congress from the Third Congressional District; Brandon Brown, JT Davis, Will Morin, and Lee Turner for the Fourth Congressional District; Rep. Chandra Dillard (incumbent) for SC House District 23; Helen Pendarvis for SC House District 35; Lucy Beam Hoffman for SC House District 10; Councilwoman Xanthene Norris (incumbent) for Greenville County Council District 23; and Jevarus Howard for Greenville County Council District 10.
The new executive team takes office immediately and will serve a two-year term. “We look forward to working with the ever expanding number of Democrats in the Upstate to grow the party’s reach and influence over the next two years,” Franch added.
The Greenville County Democratic Party is committed to working for equal opportunity for all Americans, promoting economic growth, improving public education, protecting the environment, making health care affordable for all Americans, and keeping America strong at home while restoring its standing abroad.
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