The California Democratic Council (CDC), is an independent California non-profit founded at conferences at Asilomar and Fresno conferences in 1952–53 by future U.S. Senator Alan Cranston, State Senator George Miller, Jr.[1] and other liberal Democratic Party activists, inspired by Adlai Stevenson's presidential candidacy; they intended to organize the existing "Stevenson Clubs" into a grassroots movement to win back control of California State Government from the Republicans, who then held the Governor's office and both US Senate seats.
According to the group's website, the organization, which coordinates the activities of Democratic clubs statewide, is the only one of its kind in the United States.[2] After Cranston, its founding President, CDC has also been headed by Joseph Wyatt, Tom Carvey, Simon Casady, Gerald Hill, John L. Burton (former State Senate President Pro Tem and Congressman, and former Chair of the official California Democratic Party organization), Nathan Holden, Wallace Albertson, Lia Triff Belli, Robert W. Farran, African-American leader Quincy Beaver, State Party Secretary Jim Clarke, DNC member Chris Stampolis, Henry Vandermeir, Emilie Gatfield, Hilary Crosby, and since November 2019, Iyad Afalqa, who is the Chair Emeritus of the CDP Arab American Caucus.
President John F. Kennedy said: "I have always regarded the California Democratic Council as one of the United States’ most important centers of citizen participation in politics."[3] In reality, Kennedy and his brother, Robert, were closely allied in California to the Los Angeles political organization of Jesse Unruh, the powerful Speaker of the State Assembly, who was considered the bete noire of the liberal organization.[citation needed]