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Pinellas Democrats pick new chairman

By WILL VAN SANT
Published July 26, 2006

The Pinellas Democratic Party chose Ed Helm, a former Labor Department lawyer, as its chairman Tuesday night.

Helm takes over with the primary election just six weeks away and with an unprecedented number of open local seats being contested.

Helm, 61, will finish the final months of Carrie Wadlinger's term, which expires in December.

Wadlinger resigned recently after being worn out by squabbles between progressives and centrists, deciding that caring for her ill mother was a better use of her time than attempting to contain the spats.

Wadlinger had backed Helm's opponent, onetime party chairman Tom Steck, whom she said could bring unity when it's needed most.

As word of Helm's selection filtered through the room before the result was announced, Wadlinger and other Steck supporters left.

Helm lost a race for St. Petersburg mayor to Rick Baker last year. Supporters view Helm is the kind of progressive and spirited leader the party needs to gain ground.

Opponents like Wadlinger describe Helm as intelligent and charismatic, but intolerant and a poor consensus builder.

As Helm took the microphone as chairman Tuesday, he addressed his first, conciliatory remarks to his Democratic "brothers" and "sisters."

"I know everybody here cares about the party, regardless of who you voted for," he said.

Helm takes charge of a party that made some strides under Wadlinger, but still has a way to go to rival the clout of Republicans.

The number of registered Pinellas Democrats has risen 8 percent since 1998. During that time, there's been a nearly 3 percent decline in the number of Republicans. As of Tuesday, registered Republicans led Democrats by 5,308 voters, 235,560 to 230,252.

But Republicans overwhelmingly control the elected boards of the county's 24 municipalities and hold five of seven County Commission seats.

Not surprisingly, the Pinellas Republican Party also has a cash edge, with more than $100,000 in the bank compared with the Democrats' $40,000.

[Last modified July 26, 2006, 05:37:21]