The new Chairman-elect of the Nebraska Democratic Party is Alliance native Vic Covalt. Covalt...a 1971 Alliance High graduate ... takes over in December. A Lincoln attorney specializing in bankruptcy cases, he was the only candidate for the post at the party's recent state convention.
Covalt is realistic about the challenges of being the minority party, but believes the number of Democrats statewide is growing.
So does the man he's succeeding ... Steve Achelpohl ... who's stepping down after 8 years. Achelpohl points to the party having 77 county conventions this year, modest gains in recent elections in the officially non-partisan Unicameral, and presidential caucuses in all 93 counties.
He also warns Covalt that the state chairman is a "lightning rod position" that draws criticism from all sides. Covalt was in Alliance over the weekend for Heritage Days and to meet with local Democrats to discuss campaign strategy.
