Congresses include social media creators for the first time
The Democratic Party Convention said it wanted to create a “level playing field” between creatives and traditional media.
Virginia’s Democratic delegates will travel to Chicago next week to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, at the Democratic National Convention after Harris received the votes needed to run as a candidate in early August.
Virginia will send 119 delegates and eight alternates to the national convention in Chicago, which begins Monday. Federal delegates, state representatives, local politicians and party elected officials will make up the state caucus heading to the Windy City.
Superdelegate Senator Tim Kaine, who is running for re-election this year, said his plan was to leave for the convention in Chicago late Monday morning and return to Virginia Wednesday evening, mainly to spend time with the Virginia delegation.
“Because I’m on the ballot this year, I want to mobilize them,” he said during a news conference after an event in Tuckahoe on Thursday. “My plan is that I’ll probably watch the Thursday night session where the vice president speaks with a group of Democrats somewhere in the state — Democrats who couldn’t make it to the convention, I’ll probably meet with.”
Kaine, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said he was unlikely to speak at the convention, citing his previous attendance at Democratic conventions.
“I’ve had the opportunity to speak and now I encourage others to speak,” he said, but either he or Democratic Rep. Bobby Scott of Newport News could announce their delegates for Harris when Virginia is called. However, that detail was still being worked out as of Thursday, he said.
Kaine’s challenger, retired Navy Captain Hung Cao, delivered a speech at the Republican National Convention in July.
How were Virginia’s Democratic delegates selected?
Of the more than 100 delegates going to the DNC, 65 were chosen in elections held at the Democratic congressional district caucuses in May. Before those elections, candidates had the opportunity to make their case for why they should go to Chicago in speeches at their respective district caucuses.
Delegates to the state convention in June elected 34 at-large or party-leading delegates who will attend the national convention in addition to the 65 elected official delegates.
The Virginia Democratic Party also has 20 automatic or “super” delegates. Virginia Democratic Party Chairwoman Susan Swecker and her deputy Marc Broklawski are among those superdelegates, along with Kaine, Fredericksburg Del. Josh Cole, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, Eighth District Congressman Don Beyer, Eleventh District Congressman Gerry Connolly, Fourth District Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, Seventh District Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, Tenth District Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton, Sen. Mark Warner and former Gov. Terry McAuliffe.
The Republican Party of Virginia elected its delegates to the Republican National Convention at its quadrennial county conventions held earlier this year.
Who are the elected Democratic delegates?
The elected delegates for the Sixth Congressional District include Jeanne Fishwick of Roanoke, Jade Harris, Mark Lazar of Roanoke and Brent Whittlesey of Berryville.
Delegates-elect for the Fourth Congressional District include Danny Friedman of Richmond, Hanh Deniston of Colonial Heights, Jewel Gatling of Richmond, Don Glazer of Richmond, Allison Lawrence of Richmond, Victor McKenzie of Richmond and Randon Sprinkle of Richmond.
The youngest Democratic delegate elected to Chicago from Virginia is 22-year-old Caleb Fulford of Williamsburg. Non-voting delegates include city leaders such as Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Alexander and Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea, Sr. Former Lieutenant Governor and Democratic candidate Hala Ayala is also a delegate.
Several current Virginia lawmakers will also travel to Chicago, including Speaker of the House Don Scott, President pro tempore of the Senate Louise Lucas, Senator Mamie Locke, Delegate Charniele Herring, Senator Scott Surovell, Senator Ghazala Hashmi, Delegate Rozia Henson, Delegate Kannan Srinivasan, Delegate Phil Hernandez, Delegate Michael Feggans, Senator Jennifer Carroll-Foy, Senator Saddam Salim and Delegate Alfonso Lopez.
