Heading into next month’s March 7 precinct caucuses and March 28 county convention, the Shelby County Democratic Party may have a close contest on its hands for the position of party chairman.
Current party parliamentarian Van Turner won a straw poll held Wednesday night at the Hi-Tone Café by the Mid-South Community Organizers (formerly Memphis for Obama). But lawyer Javier Bailey has the support of at least two major brokers in the local party, David Upton and Sidney Chism.
And Lee Harris and current first vice-chair Cherry Davis also have their partisans, while Shelby County Commissioner J.W. Gibson’s continued participation in the chairmanship race is in doubt.
Current chairman Keith Norman, meanwhile, appears to have dropped the idea of running for reelection.
Both the precinct caucuses and the convention will be held, according to recent custom, at Airways Middle School. A new party executive committee will also be elected at the convention.
