CD4 Candidates for NCDP Committees
At the NC-CD4 reorganization convention on May 9, we will elect one CD4 representative for each of the following NCDP committees:
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NCDP Council of Review Committee (Apply)
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NCDP Resolutions and Platform Committee (Apply)
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NCDP Plan of Organization Review Committee (Apply)
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NCDP Convention Committee on Credentials and Appeals (Apply)
You can find more information about these committees in Sections 8 and 9 of the NCDP Plan of Organization. If you are interested in running for one of these committee positions, please complete the form by clicking on "Apply" for the applicable committee.
NCDP Council of Review Committee
Nominations:
Terry Mahaffey, Wake
I am the current Mayor Pro Tem for the Town of Apex and a DNC 2024 Delegate. I previously served on the Council of Review and would be honored to serve again. I believe the Council could benefit from my experience.
Matt Hughes, Orange
The Council of Review is one of the most important bodies in our party. It is where members turn when they believe something has gone wrong and are seeking a fair remedy. That responsibility demands impartial judgment, respect for due process, and a deep understanding of our rules and procedures.
I bring 20 years of experience in this party, even at 35, along with a track record of strengthening the systems that uphold accountability. I authored our Code of Conduct and led key reforms to improve the Council of Review process itself, work grounded in making our party more transparent, consistent, and fair.
This work closely mirrors my role on the DNC’s Credentials Committee, where I help ensure that procedures are followed, disputes are handled thoughtfully, and every Democrat involved feels heard and respected. In both spaces, the charge is the same: apply the rules fairly, check personal bias, and uphold the integrity of our processes so that outcomes are trusted.
The Council of Review requires steady judgment, credibility, and a commitment to fairness above all else. I have demonstrated those qualities through both policy and practice, and I understand the weight of the decisions before this body. I am ready to continue serving for a full-term with integrity and impartiality.
I respectfully ask for your vote and your support.
NCDP Resolutions and Platform Committee
Nominations:
Liam Davis, Wake
Several urgent issues are facing the state of North Carolina, and indeed the rest of the country. Teachers, and workers writ large, are increasingly underpaid. Housing is becoming more and more expensive, and less and less owned by entities accountable to the public. Bodies of water have been used as dumping grounds for companies such as Duke Energy and members of the poultry industry. Sources of public funding for the state have been slashed in the name of “business-friendly policy.” This is to say nothing of the facts that, on one count, politics increasingly relies on revenue streams coming from sources completely removed from any class but the uppermost of the upper, and on another count, all of the above issues are being addressed by an increasingly visible, far-right populist insurgence to an alarming degree. It is to direct the party towards the ends of combating these issues, and through doing so secure a better future for us all, that I am running for a position on the Resolutions and Platform Committee. I believe this to be the best avenue to achieve such aims on account of the centrality of the platform to effecting changes in the types of candidates being run, directly in turn either impacting the direction of legislative policy or indicating the desire for change in policy. Such is what I believe I will gain the means of accomplishing, should I be elected.
Josiah Gouker, Durham
Hello, Democrats!
My name is Josiah Gouker and I have had the privilege of representing the 4th Congressional District on the NCDP Resolutions and Platforms Committee for the last couple of months. I also serve as a State Executive Committee member and as President of the Young Democrats of Durham County. I bring to this committee my experiences on the Resolutions and Platforms Committees on every level, from drafting resolutions to submit to my own county party to chairing the Education Subcommittee on the NCDP RPC Committee. During my time on the Committee, we have developed and implemented a plan to bring the 200+ resolutions yet to be considered by the SEC down to a more reasonable number, consolidating and revising as appropriate to be adopted by the SEC – nearly halving them and preparing them to appear as planks of the NCDP Platform.
I am asking for your vote to continue this work on the Resolutions and Platforms Committee, building on the important progress we have already made. As a Committee member, I have attended every meeting, continuing to advocate the interests of our Congressional District.
The NC Democratic Party Platform has previously experienced great tumult, resulting in a platform not being adopted for the 2024 election year. I have experience reading, editing, reconciling, and advocating a platform that advances our values as a Congressional District and lights the path to victory for our elected officials – and holds them accountable once elected.
I look forward to continuing work to make our resolutions process better. While I do not claim to be an expert on every issue, I have in my time on this Committee demonstrated a commitment to reading and contemplating resolutions from across the state, supplementing gaps in my knowledge with dedicated research. I am grateful for your vote.
NCDP Plan of Organization and Review Committee
Nominations:
Steve Lauderdale, Wake
Education:
University of Maryland, College Park; B.A. History, 1978
Work Experience:
Retired after working 39 years for the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of State, including 21 years in the Foreign Service (the U.S. Diplomatic Corps). Served ten years overseas stationed at U.S. Embassies. Maintained Top Secret and other security clearances based on the highest standards of honesty, character, reliability, and judgement. Extensive experience managing multi-million-dollar budgets and information technology projects.
Volunteer Service:
After retirement in 2018, my job has been serving Democrats and my community. Currently serving as: (1) Chair, Democratic Club of Raleigh and West Wake and (2) 05-08 Precinct Vice Chair, Wake County Democratic Party. I am not interested in public office.
Previously served as: (1) President, Wake County Senior Democrats; (2) 05-08 Precinct Chair, Wake County Democratic Party. (3) Board Member and Treasurer, Kitts Creek HOA neighborhood comprised of 845 homes primarily in Wake County and part of Durham County, and (4) member, Wake County Public School System Board Advisory Council, District 7.
Interest in Plan of Organization Review Committee:
I have worked with numerous state-level affiliates and county-level chapters/affiliates to draft or amend bylaws to comply with NCDP’s Plan of Organization and make the affiliates/chapters more sustainable. I look forward to using my background and experience to represent NC CD4 on NCDP’s Plan of Organization Review Committee. I ask for your vote at the NC CD 4 Convention on Saturday, May 9, 2026.
Jim Porto, Orange
I am currently the Second Vice-Chair for Education, Training and Research at OCDP. I am working on revising the OCDP Precinct Manual and I plan to develop training videos on both the State Plan of Organization and the Precinct Manual.
Working on the State Plan will give me more insight into how to build our training videos as well as the Precinct Manual.
Having thought a great deal about local and state organization, I believe I have insights that might be useful in developing the state plan.
I have the writing skills to assist in revising the plan.
I have an undergraduate degree from Duke University, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from NCSU, and a PhD in Public Policy from UNC-Chapel Hill.
I am retired from UNC-Chapel Hill, from the Gillings Global School of Public Health, where I taught Statistics, Health Policy, Leadership and numerous other courses over 30 years.
I am a Marine Corps veteran and served in Viet Nam as a helicopter pilot.
I am a former Mayor of Carrboro.
I have extensive organizational and operational experience in running programs.
If elected to this committee, I will be available to start work immediately and am willing to work with other training officers in our sister counties to develop training videos on both the State Plan of Organization and their Precinct Manuals
NCDP Convention Committee on Credentials and Appeals
Nominations:
Michael Fath, Orange
I am seeking to represent NC Congressional District 4 on the Convention Committee on Credentials & Appeals because I believe strongly in the importance of a fair, transparent, and well-functioning Democratic Party process.
I previously served in this role at the 2022 North Carolina Democratic Party State Convention, where I gained firsthand experience reviewing credentialing questions and helping ensure that delegate disputes and procedural issues were handled thoughtfully, consistently, and in accordance with the Plan of Organization. That experience reinforced for me how critical this committee is to maintain trust in our internal processes.
Professionally, I bring a detail-oriented and analytical approach to complex decision-making, along with a commitment to fairness and procedural integrity. In my work and in my service within the Democratic Party, I focus on clear communication, careful review of facts, and ensuring that all voices are heard within the rules that govern us.
Within CD4, I currently serve on the Executive Committee and have been actively engaged in district and county party efforts. I understand the importance of balancing efficiency with inclusiveness, particularly as we prepare for a critical election cycle.
If elected, I will approach this role with professionalism, impartiality, and respect for all participants. My goal will be to help ensure that credentialing and appeals processes are handled smoothly, fairly, and in a way that strengthens confidence in our party.
I would be honored to represent CD4 in this capacity.
