This week’s episode is about some of the hardest working people in the Democratic Party. I sat down with the state party chairs of the early presidential primary states to discuss how they manage to make everything work. Chair Ray Buckley (NH), Chair Daniele Monroe-Moreno (NV), and Chair Christale Spain (SC) joined me for a candid conversation about what it really takes to run a state party—from managing primaries and building county infrastructure to keeping the lights on and the volunteers motivated. Chair Spain didn’t sugarcoat it:
That daily grind is the reality for state party chairs across the country. With just seven or eight staff members, they are responsible for every layer of the political ecosystem all while raising the money to make it possible. Chair Buckley has been doing this work longer than most of his staff have been alive. He told us:
Decades later, he’s still at it, making sure his state stays competitive, training local leaders, and fighting to keep his party inclusive and strong. Chair Monroe-Moreno’s path was different, but the mission is the same. A veteran lawmaker and union advocate, she stepped up when no one else would.
She’s also clear-eyed about what that decision means, especially as a Black woman in leadership.
And then there’s the reality that most people never see: the financial stress that comes with keeping an entire organization afloat.
When you pull back the curtain, you realize that the people shaping presidential primaries aren’t operating from glass towers in D.C. They’re doing it from crowded offices, late at night, driven by grit and love for their communities. Because as Chair Monroe-Moreno said:
And that’s the truth of it. The next time you hear someone say ‘the party should do more,’ remember they have to do it all. — Jaime You're currently a free subscriber to Jaime's Table. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.
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Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Shaping Presidential Primaries: The Role of Early States
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