Dwight Pelz will retain his leadership of the state Democratic Party for the next two years, following a vote Saturday by party members in Olympia.
Pelz, a former state senator and King County Council member, was elected to the post of party chairman in 2006, in the second year of an unfilled term. He was re-elected in 2007, 2009 and again Saturday.
Pelz defeated Natalie McClendon, head of the Whatcom County Democrats, by a vote of 145-14.
On Saturday, Pelz was ready to look ahead.
“We are getting ready for 2012,” he said. That’s when Democrats will be campaigning for president, governor and U.S. senator.
Pelz will also try to steer a Democrat toward victory in the state’s new 10th Congressional District. The state was awarded a new seat in Congress after the 2010 census showed its population had grown by 14 percent in the past decade.
Democrats also chose Valerie Brady Rongey of Spokane as vice chairwoman, Rob Dolin of Seattle as secretary and Habib Habib of Edmonds as treasurer.
Debbie Caffazo, staff writer
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