Delegates at the Democratic National Convention spoke of renewed energy among younger voters, minorities, and volunteers.
CHICAGO—Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in the Windy City fresh off a week of touring battleground states that attracted rally crowds of up to 15,000.
Within a month of having been nominated as the Democratic candidate for president, Harris has erased former President Donald Trump’s advantage in the polls, now leading by 2 to 3 points, according to FiveThirtyEight polling averages.
Democrats who gathered for the first day of the Democratic National Convention told The Epoch Times they’d seen renewed energy among Democrats since President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, even as they looked forward to hearing him address the convention on the evening of Aug. 19.
“There was concern, particularly in North Carolina, that we might not get over the hump,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper told reporters on Aug. 19. “We’ve made it easier now with Vice President Harris at the top of the ticket.”
Cooper said about 90 percent of the volunteers in his state joined the campaign since Harris was nominated.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) said while there was support for Biden’s candidacy, Harris’s nomination has brought new enthusiasm to the campaign.
“Suddenly, I’m getting text messages every day, ‘Do you have any more [Democratic National Convention] credentials for me?’” she said.
In late July, Trump led Biden by 3 to 5 percentage points in most national polls. That lead evaporated quickly after Harris moved to the top of the ticket. Her lead is within the margin of error in some polls, indicating that the race is now very close.
Harris is rallying people around her vision for positive change, according to her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
“Kamala Harris has given you something to vote for. She’s given [you] something to envision. She’s seen a future that is brighter,” Walz told attendees at the party’s Hispanic Caucus.
Ludi Hughes, a delegate from New Jersey, said Harris has generated momentum among minority voters. “There’s a lot of Asian Americans who are helping in the campaign by volunteering,” Hughes told The Epoch Times. “She has done many things for women, for everyone, and that’s the reason she has the momentum right now.”
Harris leads Trump 82 percent to 17 percent among black voters, and 58 percent to 41 percent among Hispanic voters, according to an Aug. 16 poll by CBS.
Trump’s share of black voters in the 2020 election was 8 percent, according to Pew Research. His share of Hispanic voters was 38 percent.
Duckworth said Harris has been especially effective at engaging younger people, many of whom had felt disengaged from the political process.
“The young people are super energized and coming back,” Duckworth told The Epoch Times. “All of those Gen Zers and millennials are back at it again.”
Republicans see the Harris phenomenon differently.
“This momentum is only created by the press,” Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) told The Epoch Times. “She doesn’t answer any questions. … There’s no way she can justify the economic policy she’s divulged right now.”
Democrats say the momentum will be maintained through appealing to core Democratic constituencies, grassroots organizing, and continued spending.
“President Biden and the vice president are working for the labor unions, and they’re trying to pass laws for the middle class,” Hughes said. “They really value the middle class.”
Duckworth said: “We’re taking the fight to the streets, and we’re organizing groups and getting them out into college campuses. Young Democrats are back on campuses right now, and they are absolutely energized.”
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) told The Epoch Times he had led one such group, knocking on doors in nearby Kenosha, Wisconsin. “[Harris] is creating such grassroots excitement, enthusiasm, and energy that she’s going to be hard to stop,” Krishnamoorthi said.
Texas Del. Al Durante said sustaining Harris’s momentum will take ongoing spending. “To run a political race isn’t free, and the longer the race is, the more money it costs,” Durante told The Epoch Times. “It’s about, in my view, where we’re spending the money.”
Biden is set to address the convention on Monday evening. Throughout the day, elected officials and other speakers lauded his achievement.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said he continued to support Biden, even when others called for the president to exit the race.
“I happen to believe that Joe Biden is the most progressive president since Franklin Roosevelt,” Sanders told reporters. He cited the president’s signature accomplishments, including the American Rescue Plan of 2021 and the Infrastructure and Jobs Act.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro told attendees at a labor caucus that the party will carry on the work begun by Biden under Harris’s leadership.
“We’re going to work for us the way Joe Biden has worked for us, to rebuild our infrastructure, to stand up for our teachers, to stand up for our nurses, our firefighters, and do the hard work necessary to move this country forward,” he said.
Harris took the stage briefly to greet the delegates and to honor Biden.
“Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all you will continue to do. We are forever grateful to you,” Harris said.
Democrats voiced confidence that Harris could win the race but said it will take hard work.
“We’ve got an opportunity to start making this an even more inclusive country. We have an opportunity to make sure that all families have a shot at the middle class with a chance to try. But we’ve gotta do it with hard work,” Walz said.
“It starts here in Chicago, and we’ve got 78 days.”
Travis Gillmore, Jackson Richman, Arjun Singh, and Austin Alonzo contributed to this report.