DeKalb County Democratic Party Chairman Jim Judkins has announced that he will pass the seat on to a successor after serving in the position for the last three terms. After he finishes his fifth year at the helm of the party, Judkins said he will not put his name in the hat when party members meet to reorganize on March 21.

Judkins is one of only six people to chair the Democratic Party in DeKalb County in the last hundred years. His predecessors included Tom Webb, Ed Fuqua, M.T. Puckett, Fay Fuqua, and Judkins' grandfather McAllen Foutch, who also served the county as a state legislator and as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He said that while his growing law practice demands that he dedicate more time to business, he will still be an active member of the party. "I've enjoyed my time as chairman, but my law practice is growing, and for now I need to dedicate more time to it. I will still try to help them out any way I can, but the fact is for now, I just need to dedicate more time to my practice.”

Judkins said that while he is pleased that Democrats hold the majority of elected positions in the county, he encourages more party members to be active in the local party, and he would like to see the party return to prominence on the state level.

“The party is still strong in DeKalb County, and we still hold the vast majority of the elected county offices here. I would like to encourage more Democrats to participate in local party politics,” he told the Review. “During my tenure we’ve tried to support the local candidates, as well as candidates on the state level, and I would hope that the party continues these efforts. We're are still strong here in the county, but there is no doubt that we would like to have the state legislature back."

Among his accomplishments as chairman, Judkins said he takes pride in the part he played in getting a nearly 60-year-old law, one that his grandfather was ironically involved in passing during his time as house speaker, concerning the selection of local executive committee members that was badly dated repealed, and a new system put in place.

"The state legislature passed a private act in 1949 that required the DeKalb County Democratic Party Executive Committee, which is our board of directors, to consist of 40 members, many from districts that no longer exist today, and to run for the seats every two years in the Tennessee Democratic statewide primary.  One of the problems we were having was that it was difficult to find people to run. We asked for an opinion from the Attorney General’s office, and he concluded that the legislature could not tell a political party how to choose their committee members,” Judkins said.

“The state legislature overturned the private act and repealed it in an impressive act of bipartisan cooperation. If it was not unanimous it was very close to being unanimous,” he added. “The system was changed because the law was very outdated by not providing for reapportionment and it was silent on what we could do if people did not run. It was also changed so we can hold a caucus to elect local party leaders instead of holding a countywide election. Additionally, repealing this act actually saves the county money because it does not have to be placed on the ballot. On March 21 we will hold a re-organization convention and caucus to choose our new executive committee members and party officers."

Judkins said that he would not rule out seeking elected office at some point in the future. "I would not rule out seeking a political office in the future,” he revealed. “I certainly have aspirations to serve. This is my home and my community. I owe everything to the people of this area.”

The Democrat’s Biennial Re-organizational Convention will be held Saturday, March 21 at 10 a.m. on the ground floor of the DeKalb County Courthouse. New party leaders, including a new chairperson, vice chairpersons, a secretary, a treasurer, and the executive committee will be chosen for two-year terms.

All Democratic residents of the county who are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Chairman Judkins at 615-597-9777.