Woman's Suburban Democratic Club

About Us

Join Maryland's Most Dynamic Political Club

Be a Vital Part of the Local, State and
National Political Scene

Our Purpose and History

The purpose of WSDC is to help elect Democrats, support Democratic programs, to keep informed and educate all voters on local, state and national issues.

WSDCBAnnerinCRowd_edited.jpg

For 55 years, Woman's Suburban Democratic Club has been an integral part of Montgomery County's proud tradition of activism and reform.  The club was founded in 1957 by a group of Maryland women who had worked on the Adlai Stevenson campaign.  The women arranged for Eleanor Roosevelt to address the first membership luncheon. 

Since then, WSDC has offered women (and men) an opportunity for lively exchanges with leading politicians, authors, academics, journalists and policy makers, as well as opportunities for political activism on the local, state and national levels.

WSDC is a network of politically active women and men, many with a history of leadership in government service, business, and non-profit organizations. 

Luncheons are a favorite gathering for club members, allowing members and guests to enjoy each other's company, talk politics and public policy, and learn from noted academics, journalists, elected officials and policy makers.  Saturday teas are also popular meeting times, especially for members who are unable to attend our daytime meetings.  Educational forums usually take place during weekday morning.

HennebergerLunchFall2007_edited.jpg

Make New Friends Who Share Your Passion For Politics

Membership in WSDC offers:
  • Monthly luncheon or evening meetings or Saturday teas with fascinating guest speakers, including elected officials, candidates, authors, journalists and leading political activists.
  • Monthly Happy Hours (the 2nd Thursday of each month) at popular restaurants and bars so we can talk politics and get to know each other in an informal setting.  
  • Educational forums on issues of concern to our members, including our new program, Montgomery 101, to help us learn more about our County. 
  • An option to join the bi-monthly WSDC Political Book Club. 
  • Special tours:  The White House, the all-green Embassy of Finland, the Governor's Mansion, Mount Vernon during the holidays, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
  • Legislative updates on issues before the Maryland General Assembly. 
  • Opportunities to meet with our Congressional delegation, Montgomery County General Assembly delegation and County Council members.  
  • Practical and reliable information about volunteer opportunities at the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee, Obama 2012 campaign, and other political campaigns.  
     
    Use your credit card or paypal account now and purchase your  new membership online or mail it in by check.

Past Speakers

Maryland Elected Officials:  Governor Martin O'Malley, Governor Harry Hughes, Governor Parris Glendening, Governor William Donald Schaefer, County Executive Isiah Leggett, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski, U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes, Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Congresswoman Donna Edwards, Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler, Members of the Montgomery County General Assembly delegation, Members of the Montgomery County Council

National Elected Officials:  Vice President Al Gore, Vice President Walter Mondale, Vice President Joe Biden, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton, U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, U.S. Senator George McGovern, U.S. Senator Paul Simon, U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone, Congressman John Lewis

A young Senator Ted Kennedy at club luncheon.
kennedy.jpg

Activists and Special Guests:  Julian Bond, Tipper Gore, Harold Ickes, Victoria Kennedy, Kate Michelman, Ralph Neas

Authors and Journalists:  David Broder, Rajiv Chandrasedaran, Eleanor Cliff, Linda Greenhouse, Haynes Johnson, Marvin Kalb, Deborah Kalb, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Ann Kornblut, Norman Ornstein, Diane Rehm, Steve Roberts, Dennis Ross, David Sanger

Testimonials from Members 
"I had never been to Annapolis to see the legislature in session and really enjoyed the WSDC trip.  Now I can read the news accounts of legislative activity and put faces and names with the issues."

"I was shocked to read Rajiv Chandrasekaran's book about the waste and abuse that went on during the Iraq Reconstruction.  It was a real eye-opener, and I never would have known about the book without WSDC."

"I got a real sense of the differences between Ben Cardin and Kwiese Mfume when they spoke during the primary.  Having them right there on the same stage to answer our questions was really impressive."

"Who is William Galston?  I didn't know, but he is a leading political scientist.  I was fascinated by his sophisticated analysis of the electorate and voting patterns at the WSDC lunch.  I never would have learned about this on my own!"