AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine Democrats say it’s time to rename their annual Jefferson Jackson Dinner and the party wants its members to help.
The party says it is “indebted” to Presidents Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson, but the legacies of the two men “are complex” and it’s time for a change. Party spokesmen say they want to strive for full representation of everyone who is a Democrat. Other states’ Democratic parties have also recently sought to distance themselves from the legacies of Jackson and Jefferson.
The annual dinner is the party’s largest yearly fundraiser. The party wants new name suggestions to honor a Maine or national Democrat. The deadline to submit recommendations is Sept. 4.
The party says it will compile the most popular suggestions and hold a vote on the finalists.
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