SALISBURY — The incumbent Rowan County Democratic Party chair defended his seat from a challenge on Saturday during the local party’s convention.

Chair Geoffrey Hoy defeated challenger Scott Huffman for the county Democrats’ top seat.

“I trust the record I have developed over the past 10 years and even before that,” Hoy said in the lead up to Saturday’s vote. “The people will decide. That is what democracy is about. Scott graciously called me before he announced to tell me that he was going to challenge me. That is perfectly fine. That is democracy. This is what we do. If the Democratic Party cannot witness to democracy, we may have missed the point.”

Having been re-elected, Hoy said the work begins now with municipal elections on the near horizon later this year and the midterm elections in 2026.

“We have to look forward,” Hoy said. “We have to have a vision to look forward, a vision of inclusiveness and expansion, a vision that includes outreach to the Hispanic community … and of course continued outreach through the new African American Caucus here.”

Hoy said that comes down to the hard work of making phone calls, inviting people to meetings and sometimes, getting no for an answer but persisting nonetheless.

“We need to continue that kind of work, that basic grassroots, down-to-earth work,” Hoy said. “Another thing we must understand is that for all the hoopla going on in Washington or Raleigh, we must be the interpreters of those decisions made so far away in the real personal direct lives of people who must go to the grocery store, go to the gas station, live with one another or work together … that is a challenging interpretive stance we must take as a party and a lot of that has to be done one on one.”

Hoy indicated that although the news cycle and current political landscape can make things feel overwhelming, hope can triumph.

“I have a long history in ministry of practicing, believing and working out of the context of hope,” Hoy said. “That has been the theme of my life no matter where I have been … care for people and care for justice … people are in need and we need to respond to those needs.”

A gracious Huffman conceded victory to Hoy following the vote. Before the ballots were cast, he championed the process

“Anytime that we fight for our democracy, that should make us feel good about what we are doing,” Huffman said. “We are doing it not just for ourselves but for everybody in our community.”

Huffman indicated that he remains invested in the local cause, reiterating on Saturday that Rowan County is not a red county, or a blue county, but instead a “red, white and blue county.”

“I want to get y’all fired up again.”

Although Hoy defended his seat against Huffman’s challenge, the secretary race did not go the incumbent’s way.

Whitney Bost narrowly defeated Sec. Dianne Sartiano for the seat. Sartiano’s stint predated even the tenured Hoy, having been secretary since 2008.

Bost is hardly a new face for the Democratic Party. She has served as second and third vice chair for the party.

“Every day during the election, I opened up this headquarters and ran phone banks,” Bost said. “That is what I am going to continue to do. I will focus on organizing meet and greets for you and raising money for you.”

Bost outlined a vision for the party that involved restoring previous high water marks.

“We need to reorganize our Democratic Women,” Bost said. “In 2008, we had a group so large that we were able to hold the Democratic Women’ s state convention …

“We need to get out into the community. We need volunteer events again. We used to serve meals at Rowan Helping Ministries. We need to start doing that again. I want to start volunteering with the veterans. I want to get y’all fired up again.”

Other offices filled

During the meeting, several other positions were also filled for various seats within the local party.

Former state senate candidate Tangela Morgan was elected as first vice chair. East Spencer Alderman Shawn Rush was elected as second vice chair. Meanwhile, Lloyd Craighill-Middleton was elected as the third vice chair.

Linda Purdue was elected treasurer.

In other party news, the Democrats approved passage of three resolutions announcing disfavor with failed Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin’s extended legal actions to reverse the outcome of the November election for the state’s highest court, calling on the creation of an independent commission to draw congressional and state legislative electoral maps, and to denounce the Republican lawmakers “unconstitutional power grab” of Josh Stein’s gubernatorial powers.

The Democrats also announced the May Day National Day of Action for this upcoming Saturday. The event will take place at the Democrat Headquarters, located at 1504 W. Innes Street, Salisbury from 3-5 p.m.

The event includes registering new voters, canvassing targeted voters and attending a Kingian non-violence training session.