Anonymous Durham Political Group Has Ties to Candidate It Endorsed

A newly formed nonprofit made endorsements in Durham’s municipal primary. But the group, which hasn’t disclosed its leadership, has ties to one endorsed candidate, raising questions about transparency and potential coordination.

Yes for Durham was incorporated as a 501(c)(4) last month. The “about” section on the group’s spare, blue-and-gold branded website urges voters to “replace obstruction with action” and “elect leaders committed to more housing, safer neighborhoods and thriving communities.”

Its slate of endorsements, published September 3, includes incumbent mayor Leonardo Williams and incumbent Ward 2 councilman Mark-Anthony Middleton as well as newcomers Matt Kopac and Diana Medoff, who are challenging incumbents DeDreana Freeman and Chelsea Cook in Wards 1 and 3, respectively. That’s essentially the whole site—slogans about growth, the four candidates’ names and photos, and a donation form.

When asked to identify its leadership, Yes for Durham declined to provide names to the INDY. The organization wrote in an email that it was “founded by a group of Durham citizens who closely follow local politics and recently decided to get involved by establishing the 501(c)(4) to educate voters on policies that matter most to them.” The group said it has an executive director and board, which will be disclosed in official documentation “when the board is fully comprised.”


https://indyweek.com/news/durham/yes-for-durham/