The Democrats for decades have had their annual Jefferson-Jackson fund raising dinner in Raleigh.
But on Saturday, some 400 to 500 Democrats are expected to gather at the Durham Marriott Convention Center, Rob Christensen reports.
David Young, the state Democratic chairman, said he wanted to see the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner moved around periodically and he said Durham was a good place to start because of its strong Democratic showing in last year’s election.
The featured speaker at the $100-per plate dinner is national Democratic chairman Tim Kaine, the governor of Virginia. North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue invited Kaine, and she will be on hand to play host.
The appearance by Kaine is another indication that the Obama administration is paying a lot of attention to North Carolina. Both President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have visited the state.
More after the jump.
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Vice President Joe Biden is set for his third trip next month when he gives the commencement speech at Wake Forest University.
“It’s been tremendous,” Young said. “The whole administraiton and the leadership of the DNC see North Carolina as a battle ground state. We are going to be in play in 2010 and 2012.”
Marc Farinella, who was Obama’s state campaign manager last year, recently sent out an email to the Obama network encouraging them to attend the party dinner. Young said Farinella did that at his request.
“That is one group that we need to have involved in our party,” Young said. “They helped turn the state blue last year.”
To accomodate Kaine’s schedule, the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner was moved back a week.
But the Wake County Democratic Women did not want to move their annual Jefferson-Jackson Day breakfast, which traditionally draws almost as big a crowd as the dinner. So it was held last Saturday at the North Raleigh Hilton. Perdue was the speaker.
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