The executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party will leave her post this month to run Sen. Bernie Sanders’ New Hampshire presidential campaign. A former legislative director for the state employees’ union will take her place.
Julia Barnes, who began leading Vermont Democrats in spring 2012, will leave her job July 31. She starts work for the Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign in early August.
Barnes said the Vermont Democratic Party made “a lot of really great progress” during her three years. That includes establishing an internal data program, getting more young people involved in politics and making more of the party’s information available to elected officials, she said.
“On the side (of the Democratic Party) that I see on a regular basis, there is a whole community of people that are bringing together a discussion of values and progress,” Barnes said.
Barnes’ new title will be New Hampshire State Director for Bernie 2016. The campaign announced her position as a move designed to “bolster” the New Hampshire campaign. Barnes had worked in New Hampshire politics from 2007 to 2012.
Conor Casey replaces Barnes on Aug. 1. Casey was the legislative director for the Vermont State Employees Association from 2004 to 2012; he most recently worked as the political coordinator for the Connecticut affiliate of the National Education Association.
An Ireland native turned Vermonter, Casey has worked closely with Democrats as a union organizer but has not officially worked for the party before. He called Democrats “the party for everyone” and said he wants to address economic justice and rural poverty.
“I’m very excited to come home to Vermont, and I’ve been a Democrat my entire life,” he said. “It’s an exciting time to be leading the party, especially with the 2016 elections coming up.”
As the executive director, Casey will also perform public relations duties, since the party does not have a communications director.
