Elected officials and delegates from across the country are gathering in Chicago this week for the Democratic National Convention.
With fewer than 80 days to the election, the party’s focus has been on uniting Democrats behind Vice President Kamala Harris, after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race last month.
Tompkins County Legislator Shawna Black is serving as a delegate at the DNC for the first time. She said the energy at the convention has been strong, and she’s seen a lot of unity from fellow Democrats.
“That's the first time in a very long time that I've really gotten that sense with federal politics,” Black said. “And it's just enlightening, it's refreshing. And I think for people that are on the fence, that might be moderate, I think this could absolutely be the thing that draws them in to engage in the political process.”
Black said this year the DNC is emphasizing the party’s support of labor issues and unions.
“The focus on working class people, and the focus on our unions, and the belief that our unions are strong and we need to support them,” Black said. “That has really been a really central theme that I'm hearing here.”
Tompkins County’s own labor movement momentarily took center stage Monday night, with United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain referencing striking UAW members at Cornell University.
Another significant, and sometimes divisive, issue for Democrats this election cycle has been the war in Gaza. Anti-war protestors have gathered outside the convention center each day since it began. Protests have been mostly peaceful, although there were arrests and confrontations between protesters and police on Tuesday.
“I think their protest has been impactful, but it also has to remain peaceful. I think that's the key word there,” Black said. “Democrats are listening. I mean, we're all just taking it day by day, and there's not a single person that wants the war to continue. So I hope that in the future, I think we could see the United States intervening a little bit more with perhaps more forceful words to promote a cease-fire.”
Black voted in favor of a cease-fire resolution in her own county legislature earlier this year, although the measure didn’t secure the votes needed to pass.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul is also attending the convention, rallying Democrats in support of Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.