Candy Glazer to step down as Longmeadow Democratic Town Committee chairwoman after 23 years

By Shannon Young, The Republican

Candy Glazer announced Wednesday that she is stepping down as chairwoman of the Longmeadow Democratic Town Committee after leading the Western Massachusetts political organization for nearly two dozen years.

Glazer revealed in an evening email to “members and friends” of the Longmeadow Democratic Town Committee that she will officially resign as chairwoman on Jan. 1. She will pass her title and gavel to the new chairperson, following an election at the group’s Jan. 16 meeting.

Glazer said “it has been a joy an a great honor ... to chair and lead the Longmeadow Democrats over the past 23 years," adding that she’s proud to “be leaving with a very strong Democratic Party, here, in Longmeadow and in Western Massachusetts.”

“It has been a wonderful 23 years as your chair. I am confident and excited that the new chair, Executive Committee, and LDTC members will continue to make a difference in our community and for the Democratic Party,” she wrote in her email.

She further thanked “the many Executive Committee members who, since 1995, have attended monthly meetings at (her) house, stepped up to leadership positions, and helped make the LDTC such as successful political group.”

The Democrat, who will continue to hold the honorary title of “chair emeritus," stressed that she has “put a great deal of time and thought into preparing for this transition of leadership" in recent years, including electing two vice-chairs, growing the Executive Committee and adding a youth position, among other things.

The outgoing chairwoman added that she felt January marked a good time for such a transition as 2019 will be an “off-election year" in the political calendar.

Glazer said she’s “confident that the new chair and LDTC members are ready and prepared to take over leadership.” She thanked Vice Chairs Michael Clark and Michele Marantz and Treasurer Bill Hoff for “the extra time and help.”

Glazer further noted that while she’s stepping down as the committee’s chairwoman, she “will remain committed to political activism" as the chairwoman for state Sen. Eric Lesser’s committee and as a member of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee, among other things.

As town committee chairwoman, Glazer has represented Longmeadow and Western Massachusetts at 30 Democratic State Conventions and as an elected delegate at several Democratic National Conventions.

She has also attended inaugurations and traveled the country with her political activism.

In 2012, she was elected to the Massachusetts Electoral College, where she cast her vote for President Barack Obama’s re-election bid.

Glazer was also active in several high-profile political campaigns, including former Massachusetts U.S. Sen. John Kerry’s unsuccessful run for president in 2004.