Jackson County candidates dominated a Democratic convention in Medford Saturday, scooping up every delegate seat that was up for grabs for supporters of Sen. Barack Obama.
Commissioner Dave Gilmour, local Democratic chair Paulie Brading and local Obama campaign leader Matt Sutton will represent this area at the Democratic National Convention in August. Sharon Marler, another local party activist, was chosen as an alternate delegate.
The convention, held at the Medford library, was one of five held throughout the state Saturday representing each of Oregon's Congressional districts. The 2nd Congressional District is the largest in the state, stretching from the southern to the northern border on the east side of the Cascades except for Jackson County and the Grants Pass area.
Altogether, five delegates plus one alternate were chosen from this congressional district to represent Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton at the national convention. Both the Clinton delegates also were Jackson County residents.
There were 46 candidates vying for the Obama delegate nomination at the convention, with 20 from Jackson County. This was the first time in 12 years that a Democratic convention was held in Jackson County.
Both Gilmour and Brading won a majority in the first round of votes. Sutton and Marler failed to get a majority and a quick runoff election was held before they were declared the victors.
"There is an inside line on Dave and Paulie," predicted Maui Meyer before the voting started.
Even though he said the odds were against him, the Hood River county commissioner and candidate for a delegate position said it was worth the $150 in gas money to make the trip to the convention.
The selection of delegates was particularly significant for Obama supporters because Sen. Hillary Clinton endorsed her opponent earlier in the day.
"It was a wonderful speech this morning by the senator from New York," said Rep. Peter Buckley, who led the Obama caucus at the convention.
Of the approximately 120 people voting for the Obama delegates, a clear majority came from Jackson County.
John McColgan, 2nd Congressional District chair for Oregon Democrats, said the Democratic National Committee specifically chose Medford to host the selection of delegates.
"They wanted it to be in a good media market," he said.
Both Brading and Gilmour said that holding it in Jackson County raised their chances of winning, but they still spent some time campaigning before the voting took place.
Brading, 60, of Medford said, "I'm just thrilled by the representation of all Jackson County Democrats. I'm looking forward to meeting more Democrats nationally."
While ballots were filled out at the convention, Brading said she was voting for herself, but also for Gilmour and Sutton.
Gilmour, 60, said he approached his run for the delegate seat as he's run his campaign. He sent out flyers, e-mails and contacted as many of the Democrats as he could who would be voting at the convention.
He said he looks forward to the Democratic National Convention.
"It has the potential to be a critical event in American history," he said. "There is a very good chance that we will be changing the presidency back to a Democrat."
Sutton, 43, of Central Point, was stunned by his victory, thinking he wouldn't win in the runoff with well-known Democratic activist Antone Minthorn of the Umatilla Tribe.
"It hasn't really sunk in, but it's exciting that I'm going to be at the convention," he said.
Sutton, a Medford lawyer, helped bring Obama to Medford on March 22 for a town hall rally and has worked on a grassroots campaign for the Illinois senator for more than a year. "It is kind of rewarding after all the hard work in Jackson County," he said.
Marler, the alternate delegate, said she welcomed the recognition of her years of hard work. "I've been working in the trenches with the Democrats since 2000," she said.
She beat out Denise Cyr, who has also worked hard on the Obama campaign locally and introduced the senator at the Medford rally.
Medford resident James Marshall, who worked closely with Sutton during the primary, said this is the first time he's been active in politics.
Marshall, a black man and a native of Chicago, Ill., helped in the local voter registration drive and was part of the voting bloc for the Obama delegates.
He said he's followed Obama for 10 years. Racism may still exist in America, he said, but more and more people now would support a minority candidate for president.
"I'm not surprised at all that he's gotten to this point," he said.
Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476 or dmann@mailtribune.com.
