Moore County Democrats elected Jim Heim as their new chairman Saturday and were exhorted to concentrate on defeating Republican Senator Richard Burr in the 2010 election.

Cal Cunningham, recently returned from a tour of duty with the Judge Advocate General's Corps in Iraq, was the keynote speaker at the Democrats' county convention held at the Agriculture Center in Carthage.

"The election of Barack Obama in North Carolina was an amazing and glorious thing. It was not just a normal election, it was a transforming election," Cunningham said. "It was a complete repudiation of what that other crowd stands for."

Cunningham spoke at the beginning of the convention to allow him time to travel to Harnett County, where he was keynote speaker for the Democratic county convention there.

The speaker challenged Moore County Democrats to advance the values and policies of their party, which include such things as protecting the family, protecting people's privacy, freeing the country from foreign oil and promoting greater transparency in the governing process.

When Cunningham asked his audience to name one accomplishment during Richard Burr's 15-year career in Congress, he was greeted with silence, then laughter.

Citing Burr's recent admission that he advised his wife to withdraw all funds through bank ATM service, Cunningham, a member of the State Banking Commission, said "this is called a run on the bank," a reference to the banking panic of the Great Depression.

"This is going to be an election about leadership," Cunningham said, "about the future versus the past."

The new chairman succeeds Brian Deaton of Pinehurst, who declined to seek a second term. The convention gave Deaton a standing ovation in recognition of his service.

Heim, who lives on a horse farm in Little River Precinct, is a retired digital video engineer. His wife, Dr. Lori Heim, is a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel.

Moore County Democrats also elected these officers: Mary Alice Wicker of Cameron Precinct, first vice-chair; Algene Johnson of South Southern Pines, second vice-chair; Kevin Smith of Aberdeen, third vice-chair; Shannon Cox of Pinehurst B, secretary; and Juanita Harbour of Cameron, treasurer.

Diane Greene presented the slate of officers on behalf of the nominating committee, and all candidates were elected by acclamation. No nominees were placed from the floor.

With Heim now wielding the gavel, the convention elected county members of the state executive committee and settled on delegates to the district convention.