WASHINGTON — Most of Louisiana’s prominent Democrats have headed to Chicago for a convention that will officially set the final stage for a race that has seen President Joe Biden drop out, the attempted assassination of Donald Trump and a flurry of polls suggesting the upcoming election has become too close to call.
The Democratic National Convention runs Monday through Thursday — four weeks after Biden withdrew from the race — and is set to anoint Vice President Kamala Harris as the candidate to battle Trump for the presidency.
Louisiana's state party was one of the nation's first to back Harris when Biden, whose poor debate performance in late June ignited Democratic fears that he would lose, abruptly stepped aside three days after the Republican National Convention named Trump their candidate.
Harris' campaign has energized Democrats who had become despondent when Biden was at the top of the ticket, says state Sen. Regina Barrow of Baton Rouge, who as senate president pro tem is the highest-ranking elected Democrat in a state government dominated by Republicans.
“This is historic: A woman of color as the presidential nominee for a major party, that’s something I thought would never have happened in my lifetime,” Barrow said.
Barrow paid about $2,000 to attend the convention, mostly for a room at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, where the delegation is staying. Barrow is being recognized Wednesday by the Black Legislative Leaders Network at one of the auxiliary events.
“But the most exciting thing, I will be casting my vote for her,” Barrow said.
That the delegates will vote again on Harris’ nomination is just one of the historic twists in the 2024 presidential race.
Delegates already have selected Harris as their nominee. They did so virtually, starting Aug. 1, because officials in Republican-dominated Ohio had said the convention would end too late to include the Democratic candidate on that state’s ballot for the Nov. 5 election. Harris received the support of 3,923 delegates, including all 57 from Louisiana. She only needed 1,976 to win.
Louisiana Democrats are among the roughly 5,000 delegates expected at the convention. The delegates are set to publicly vote to confirm Harris as the party’s nominee at the start of the convention Monday, and on Thursday night, Harris is scheduled to give her acceptance speech.
Biden is expected to pass the baton to Harris in a speech on the first day.
Former President Barack Obama is to speak Tuesday night. Harris’ running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will be confirmed by the delegates and give his acceptance speech Wednesday night, after former President Bill Clinton speaks.
The United Center, home to the NBA's Bulls and the NHL's Blackhawks, is where Democrats hope during prime-time speeches and presentations by top-line filmmakers to introduce Harris and Walz, talk up accomplishments and highlight policy differences with the Republicans.
Numerous parties — the first was Thursday night for the several thousand volunteer helpers — are slated at venues around the city.
“What you see is the confetti and fun, and that is a big part of it, but it’s not just a party,” said New Orleans U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, the only Democrat among Louisiana's six House representatives and two senators.
“It’s a time for us to organize, to bone up on issues and figure out how we get those messages to every level of our community,” Carter said, adding that his agenda book is “thicker than the Bible” and that he’d received too many invitations to fit into his folder.
Louisiana delegates will meet for breakfast each morning to get a rundown of the day's events and hear from several prominent Democratic officials. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, of New Jersey, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, of California, are invited, as are top Louisiana politicos like former Rep. Cedric Richmond, of New Orleans, and former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu.
Delegates will also participate in seminars hosted by various groups, including organized labor and advocates on issues such as judicial reform and disability rights.
“I want to interface with other delegates, other elected officials and exchange ideas and take those ideas back home,” said state Rep. Kyle M. Green Jr. of Marrero, the state’s new member on the Democratic National Committee.
But while Democrats gather inside to politic, upward of 30,000 protesters are expected to march outside to demand the Biden administration end military aid to Israel in its war with Hamas in Gaza.
Green said he has no problem with protests.
“Democrats welcome dissent,” Green said. “There’s nothing wrong with dissent as long you do it nonviolent and it's lawful.”
Workers erected fencing around the United Center and closed the streets around the arena to pedestrians and vehicles. The federal government is spending about $50 million on security — the same as in Milwaukee for the Republican convention.
The convention also promises entertainment by top stars. Grammy Award winner John Legend is headlining a party thrown by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
A multi-band concert including Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Drive-By Truckers is planned for a party supporting gun control, hosted by U.S. Mark Kelly of Arizona and his wife Gabby Giffords, the former congresswoman who was shot in the head while meeting constituents.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who famously played a female vice president in the HBO comedy “Veep,” is hosting a panel with eight Democratic women governors.
Comedian Jon Stewart will host “The Daily Show” on Thursday from the convention.
Much as Louisiana’s delegation played a prominent role in the Republican National Convention through House Speaker Mike Johnson of Benton and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Jefferson, the state's Democrats will do so through positions on a national level, noted Randal Gaines, who chairs the Louisiana Democratic Party. Both Richmond and Landrieu worked in the White House before joining the campaign when Biden was running for reelection, he noted.
“I’m impressed with Louisiana’s national impact," Gaines said. "We are well represented on the national stage.”