Published: August 07, 2008 11:49 am      

Wisman ready to lead Floyd County Democrats

New chairwoman receives passing grade from party leaders

SO YOU KNOW Floyd County Democratic Party Chairwoman Marcey Wisman has until Aug. 13 to name a candidate to replace Randy Stumler for one of the Floyd County Council at-large seats on the Nov. 4 ballot.

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Being the first woman to lead the Floyd County Democratic Party is significant. However, hiring a person that is competent and able to handle the job is all that matters to local party members.

“We have had several women in top leadership roles. That is a nonissue,” said Warren Nash, who led the party for 12 years. “The most important thing is how will someone organize the party for the fall election.”

Marcey Wisman was unanimously chosen Tuesday to complete Randy Stumler’s term, which ends in March as party chair. And by all accounts, she was the only choice for local democrats.

“She will do a hell of a lot better than me in certain areas. She is better organized and does a great job of bringing people together,” said Stumler, who leaves this weekend for a teaching job in the Azores Islands. “She has a real good managing style and always thinks of other people.”

Wisman’s first big test as party chairwoman will be to select a candidate for the Floyd County Council to place on the party’s ballot for the Nov. 4 election. Besides being party chairman, Stumler also was a candidate for one of the three at-large seats.

A caucus on Tuesday selected former Councilman Ted Heavrin to finish out Stumler’s term. Heavrin already was on the at-large ballot for the general election.

Her second test will be the election, but after that, it should ease up since there is no election in 2009.

“I guess it really hasn’t sunk in yet,” Wisman said of her selection Wednesday morning. “People have congratulated me, but I guess it will really sink in after I pick a candidate. No matter who I choose, I am going to make someone mad.”

Wisman is more than ready for the job, party officials say. She has been vice chairwoman for more than three years and has successfully ran for city clerk twice. She understands the game of politics, they say.

“She knows how to run an election,” Floyd County Clerk Linda Moeller, a democrat, said. “She will see us through this election and then we will organize again in March. Luckily, we had a chairman that did his job well, so a lot of things are already in place. We can commend him for not leaving our party high and dry.”

Wisman said she is confident about the candidates on the November ballot and the overall



see DEMS, page A4