Dems elect Denning Chair

Primary rivals make unity promises

Johnson County Democrats elected Gerene Denning as their new chair Thursday night, making official the job she's been doing as interim chair since January. Denning's election opens up the job of first vice chair, which my Republican readers call "co" chair.

The JCDems nomally elect their chair post-general election, rather than post-caucus. The off-cycle election was prompted by Mike Carberry's resignation to run for supervisor.

Carberry was among three pairs of primary rivals making a promise of party unity Thursday. Both he and incumbent Janelle Rettig pledged to support their rivals if they were to lose the primary. The third announced Democrat, Lisa Green-Douglass, was not present; voters can vote for two and the top two go on to the November election against Republican John Etheredge and a player to be named later, if at all. (UPDATE: Green-Douglass, who missed the meeting for one of her children's school events, later said she too would support the primary winners.)

County attorney challenger John Zimmerman said he would support incumbent Janet Lyness if she were nominated, and Lyness pledged likewise. (No Republican has even run for county attorney since 1972.) Also pledging mutual support and aid were Senate 39 candidates Richard Gilmore and Kevin Kinney. Three Republicans are running in that critical, open Republican-held seat.

Jon Neiderbach, candidate for state auditor, was also on hand. "I want to do what the code says the office should do, look at the effectiveness of government in a business-like manner."