{{Short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Judith Whitmer |image = Judith Whitmer.png |caption = Whitmer in 2021 |office = Chair of the Nevada Democratic Party |term_start = March 6, 2021 |term_end = March 4, 2023 |predecessor = William McCurdy II |successor = Daniele Monroe-Moreno |birth_date = |birth_place = |death_date = |death_place = |party = Democratic |education = Seminole State College of Florida (BA) }} '''Judith K. Whitmer''' is an American political activist who served as the chair of the Nevada Democratic Party from 2021 to 2023. Whitmer was elected on March 6, 2021, by members of the party's governing members, defeating Tick Segerblom in a 248–216 vote.<ref>{{Cite web|agency=Associated Press|date=2021-03-08|title=Judith Whitmer elected to head Democratic Party in Nevada|url=https://news3lv.com/news/local/judith-whitmer-to-head-nevadas-democratic-party|access-date=2021-03-09|website=KSNV}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-03-06|title=Whitmer picked to lead Nevada Democrats in major power shift|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/nevada/whitmer-picked-to-lead-nevada-democrats-in-major-power-shift-2296277/|access-date=2021-03-09|website=Las Vegas Review-Journal|language=en-US}}</ref> She lost re-election to "unity candidate" Daniele Monroe-Moreno in a 314–99 vote.<ref name="endDSA">{{cite web|last=Solis|first=Jacob|title=Monroe-Moreno elected NV Dems chair, ousts democratic socialist incumbent|url=https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/monroe-moreno-elected-nv-dems-chair-ousts-democratic-socialist-incumbent|website=The Nevada Independent|date=March 4, 2023}}</ref>
== Education == Whitmer earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Seminole State College of Florida.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Judith Whitmer – Clark County Democratic Party|url=https://clarkdems.com/team-members/judith-whitmer|access-date=2021-03-09|language=en-US}}</ref>
== Career == Whitmer was a volunteer on Barack Obama's 2008 and 2012 campaigns. She also worked on the campaign of Martin O'Malley and for various members of the Nevada Legislature.<ref name=":0" /> Whitmer has stated that the Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign led her to become involved in party politics. She was a Sanders delegate in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Judith Whitmer - Candidate for Chair|url=https://nvdems.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Whitmer-J-CS-3-1.pdf}}</ref>
In 2021 Whitmer was elected chair of the Nevada Democratic Party along with a new slate of party leaders, all affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sadler|first=John|date=2021-03-10|title=New state Democratic Party chair talks staff shake-up, progressive gains, vision for Nevada - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2021/mar/10/new-nevada-democratic-party-chair-staff-shakeup/|access-date=2021-03-10|website=lasvegassun.com|language=en}}</ref> Upon her election, the entire staff of the party resigned from their positions in protest.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Deconstructed: Nevada Progressives Vs. the Old Guard|url=https://theintercept.com/2021/03/08/deconstructed-nevada-democrats-progressives-vs-establishment/|access-date=2021-03-10|website=The Intercept|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Zilbermints|first=Regina|date=2021-03-09|title=Nevada Democratic Party staff quit after Sanders backers take over|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/542337-nevada-democratic-party-staff-quit-after-sanders-backers-take-over|access-date=2021-03-10|website=The Hill|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Lacy|first1=Akela|last2=Grim|first2=Ryan|title=Entire Staff of Nevada Democratic Party Quits After Democratic Socialist Slate Won Every Seat|url=https://theintercept.com/2021/03/08/nevada-democratic-party-dsa/|access-date=2021-03-09|website=The Intercept|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Dorman|first=Sam|date=2021-03-08|title=Nevada Democratic Party staff quits after Democratic socialists sweep party leadership positions: report|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/nevada-democratic-party-staff-quits-socialists|access-date=2021-03-09|website=Fox News|language=en-US}}</ref>
During her tenure as party chair, Whitmer received heavy criticism from a number of key figures.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-05 |title=Democratic socialists swept out of power in Nevada |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/democratic-socialists-swept-power-nevada-judith-whitmer-rcna72905 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> Top Democrats sought for her removal and then asked for her resignation,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-08 |title=Democrats call on Whitmer to resign after party purge |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/nevada/democrats-call-on-whitmer-to-resign-after-party-purge-2728594/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Las Vegas Review-Journal |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-14 |title=Top Democrats seek removal of Nevada party chairwoman |url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2023/feb/14/top-dems-seek-removal-of-nevada-party-chairwoman/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Las Vegas Sun |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-26 |title=Nevada Democrats implode over battle for party control |website=NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/nevada-democrats-implode-battle-party-control-judith-whitmer-rcna71880}}</ref> and many former loyalists including Senator Bernie Sanders did not support her when she ran for re-election in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=America |first=Las Vegas Democratic Socialists of |date=2023-02-13 |title=LVDSA Statement on Nevada State Democratic Party Election |url=https://lvdsa.org/2023/02/13/dempartyelection/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Las Vegas DSA |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Otterbein |first=Holly |date=2023-02-25 |title=Sanders supporters took over the Nevada Democratic Party. It's not going well. |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/25/bernie-world-nevada-democratic-party-00084426 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240902133448/https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/25/bernie-world-nevada-democratic-party-00084426 |website=Politico |access-date=2024-09-02 |archive-date=2024-09-02 }}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=William McCurdy II}} {{s-ttl|title=Chair of the Nevada Democratic Party|years=2021–2023}} {{s-aft|after=Daniele Monroe-Moreno}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitmer, Judith}} Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:Living people Category:Members of the Democratic Socialists of America Category:Nevada Democrats Category:Seminole State College of Florida alumni Category:State political party chairs of Nevada Category:Women in Nevada politics Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
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