Guest Post: Why Chris Redfern's Re-Election Was So Vital

The following is a guest post from Seth Bringman.

Wednesday evening, I was honored to join friends and colleagues to support Chris Redfern in his re-election as Ohio Democratic Party Chairman.

From the day I started at the Ohio Democratic Party I was impressed with the Chairman's unique ability to hold a successful press conference and articulate the party's message, along with his vast knowledge of Democratic issues and Ohio political history.

Perhaps the most important role the Ohio Democratic Party Chairman will play between now and November is to forcefully and effectively defend our candidates through the media. Chris Redfern is indispensable in that role.

For the next seven months, Chairman Redfern will be an effective messenger on why Josh Mandel is extreme and bad for Ohio's women, seniors, and middle class.

He will also serve as Dean of the Obama Truth Team in Ohio, and in that role he will lead a statewide group that tells the truth about President Obama's record and holds Mitt Romney accountable.

I don't know Anthony Giardini. But I do know that there is no more effective defender of our candidates and our values than Chris Redfern. Whether it's to help a municipal judge in Toledo or the President of the United States, Chairman Redfern always answers the call of duty. I wish his critics had the opportunity to witness his relentless work the way I did every day for the past three years.

Since becoming Chairman in 2005, Chris Redfern has led Ohio Democrats from political oblivion to a nationally recognized state party. He has brought on a talented team of political professionals, and I am honored to have been a part of that team. My former colleagues might tell you that Chris Redfern isn't the easiest person in the world to work for. Those same staffers were cheering the loudest for him on Wednesday evening, and that tells you something.

We had a respectful meeting on both sides of the debate, and I'm happy that Democratic leaders from across Ohio left not focused on this week's election, but on November's. We have a lot of work to do over the next seven months, but President Obama, Senator Brown, and Justice McGee Brown are in a good place. And the Ohio Democratic Party remains in good hands.

Bringman was Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director from May of 2009 until his departure last month. He now works as a public relations consultant, assisting progressive causes in Ohio and across the country.