One month after announcing he was ending his reelection campaign, President Joe Biden will address his party on Monday during the convention’s opening night celebration and formally pass the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris. And for the first time, Harris’ spot on the top ticket is guaranteed ahead of the convention.
This year the Democratic party engaged in a “virtual roll call” during which delegates electronically voted in the weeks leading up to the convention for Harris to lead the party's ticket. Harris received votes from around 99% of the party's delegates, making her the first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to lead a major party ticket. Harris received overwhelming support from Texas' 273 delegates.
“[When Biden ended his campaign] it went from first time excitement of ‘I'm getting to participate [in the convention]’ to ‘Oh my God, I'm gonna be there in a historic moment.’ It got really exciting really fast,” Paula Blackmon, city council person for District 9 and a first-time delegate, told the Observer.
Blackmon, alongside council members Adam Bazaldua and Omar Narvaez, will be the latest Dallasites to attend a national convention, although we don't think that any of them will have a prime-time speaking spot where they can pledge absolute fealty to their party.
Bazaldua is one of 53 at-large delegates, who represent the entire state. Blackmon’s group of delegates total 32 and are known as PLEOs, or “party leaders and elected officials.” There are also automatic delegates — members of Congress or the Democratic National Party — and alternates, in case a delegate is unable to participate in convention activities.
"It's an honor to get to do this," Narvaez told the Observer. "We have our largest delegation from the DFW metroplex in a long, long time, and the most diverse group we've sent in a long time as well. It really excites me."
Delegates Hope to Heal a Divide
Blackmon was encouraged to become a delegate after the January 6 insurrection left her feeling “disturbed” by the divided nature of the country.
“I love what our country is. I love democracy, I love the messiness that makes it unique. Because at the end of the day, we should be able to go have a beer together. That's how it's designed. And what I saw on January 6 broke my heart,” Blackmon said. “It really bothered me, and I kind of took on this mantra of democracy's not going to die on my watch.”
While Blackmon, as a city council member, serves in a nonpartisan role and participates in a nonpartisan election, she feels the matchup between Harris and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is evidence that there is “more at stake” than party affiliations.
Bazaldua is also a first-time delegate this year. He sees the opportunity to support the country’s potential first female President as a way to “inspire hope” in his 12-year-old daughter, and believes that Harris’ nomination has been a needed opportunity for the country’s political divide to begin to heal.
“I know that there are plenty of conservatives that are looking at what's happening within their own party and want to see there be a fight for democracy,” Bazaldua told the Observer. “That's why we see a movement of Republicans for Harris in this election cycle. So overall, there's a lot to be excited for.”
I will never FORGET tonight! This is what it is supposed to feel like in this country! As @Tim_Walz said, @KamalaHarris has brought joy back! pic.twitter.com/cc1jpGZgn2
— Jasmine Crockett (@JasmineForUS) August 6, 2024
Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, who will serve as an automatic delegate, has been outspoken about her support of Harris since Biden’s withdrawal, even going so far as to say she would not work for anyone else if the party chose to back a nominee other than Harris.
“This is what it is supposed to feel like in this country,” Crockett recently posted on the social media platform X after attending one of Harris’ campaign rallies. “Kamala Harris has brought joy back.”
A Chance to Support the Issues That Matter to Them Most
In addition to the nightly rallies headlined by big-name Democrats and celebrities offering their endorsements — former President Barack Obama is expected to speak Tuesday night, and former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton are slated for Wednesday evening — daytime programming will give delegates and the public the chance to weigh in on key issues and build skills that can be brought back to state and local governments. Some events, included in what has been dubbed “DemPalooza,” are open to the public.
"[January 6] really bothered me, and I kind of took on this mantra of democracy's not going to die on my watch.” — Paula Blackmon, City Council member and Democratic delegate
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Private events hosted by the party’s caucuses and councils are targeting women, youth and the LGBTQ+ communities. Councils will discuss disability rights, poverty, environmental issues and labor. For Bazaldua, November’s election represents a “critical” moment for one issue in particular: reproductive rights, which are especially important to him as a “Girl Dad.”
“My 12-year-old daughter was born with more rights than she has now,” Bazaldua said. “I do not believe that there should be any government control over my daughter's body and autonomy over making her own medical decisions. And so I think that there's a few levels of significance … There are actual rights that we are trying to fight for that have been taken away from her.”
For Narvaez, the convention will be an opportunity to take part in the federal conversations surrounding the issues his district is most worried about: the economy, public health and quality of life affordability. Dallas is one of many cities facing some "big budget shortfalls" now that federal pandemic ARPA funds have dried up, and solutions to elevated infrastructure and building costs are top of mind for him.
He wants to lend his voice to national conversations on the issues he hears about from District 6 residents, like the costs of childcare and college debt. His constituents want to know if they are "going to be able to achieve the American dream."
Blackmon plans to be “a sponge” throughout the convention, focusing on attending lectures that can best aid Dallas. Because the national convention is attended by politicians at every level of government, she hopes to build relationships with some of the people in the federal government who contribute to the “general buckets of money” that come Dallas’ way.
More importantly, she hopes the convention will show that the Democratic Party is one “big tent” where all are welcome to work.
“I really think the days of being divided are coming to an end. I really hope that. I grew up in politics in ‘95, and that was the George Bush, Bob Bullock, Pete Laney days, and it didn't matter what party you were with,” Blackmon said. “What mattered was we were here for Texas. And so I'm hoping that what can happen moving forward is that we're here for the U.S., we're here for our state, and we're here for Dallas.”
