Local dems have new leader

Photo courtesy LinkedIn

Sam Smith

The Greene County Democratic Party has a new leader.

Sam Smith was hired yesterday as executive director by the Greene County Democratic Central Executive Committee, said committee Chairman Wes Zongker. His official duties begin Feb. 1.

Zongker said Smith was selected among 18 applicants. The position has been vacant since November 2019, when previous Executive Director Skyler Johnston resigned to join the International Brotherhood of Teamsters labor union.

Smith is a 2018 graduate of Parkview High School and is now studying political science at Drury University, Zongker said. He worked as a field organizer for a state House race in Virginia and the Missouri Democratic Party’s coordinated campaign in the last election season.

“We first got introduced to Sam when he started a high school democrats organization in Springfield. He actually pulled in all the area high schools, even Marshfield and Republic,” he said of the Springfield Young Democrats organization. “We just watched him energize young people and (get) them involved.”

Zongker said local Democrats, and those nationwide, are calling for younger leadership within the political party to energize the base of supporters.

“Sam is young and he is one that can get that done,” he said.

Smith will be the only paid staff member for the Greene County Democrats, which is primarily run by volunteers. Johnson said in November that the local activist base is 2,000 strong.

As the 2020 election gets closer, Zongker said he feels hopeful for the party.

“We know that the majority of people are with us on the issue. We saw that when we approved minimum wage, when they approved Clean Missouri and voted down right to work,” he said. “Those are Democratic issues. We just need to figure out how to translate that into elected officials.”

Smith could not be reached for comment by deadline.