Politics
Members of Congress From Illinois See a Presidential Momentum Shift Ahead of a Hometown DNC
The Democratic National Convention is less than one week away.
Vice President Kamala Harris had a whirlwind week in which she formally secured the Democratic nomination and announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.
As anticipation builds, Chicagoans wait to see what plans Democrats have for the event.
Since President Joe Biden removed himself from the ticket and Harris stepped in, the tone for the Democratic party and the upcoming election has seen a noticeable shift.
For Illinois members of the U.S. Congress, that shift will change the tenor of the convention set to hit Chicago.
“There has been a burst of energy. All the people who are volunteering to work, to go to Wisconsin and Michigan to knock on doors, to make sure that we get out the vote. People are ready to fight, and to work, and to win,” said U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, a Democrat who represents the 9th Congressional District, which includes parts of Chicago’s North Side and northern suburbs.
Recent polling shows Harris now closing the gap between her and former President Donald Trump. A New York Times Siena College survey showed no clear leader in swing states Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. With Harris as the new Democratic candidate, the conversation has shifted from Biden’s physical capabilities to the issues and the American people’s political concerns.
U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, a Democrat who represents the 5th Congressional District, which includes Chicago’s North Side and some western suburbs, was one of the first Illinois Democrats calling for Biden to step aside.
“The president of the United States put the country first as he always has,” Quigley said. “We were in a difficult situation, and as hard as the president was trying there was absolutely no focus on what he was actually doing, or frankly what Trump was doing.”
Last month the Republican National Convention took place in Milwaukee. Thematic nights and carefully selected speakers aimed to present the Republicans as a united party — a quality that was not reflected in the Democratic party before Harris’ announcement to run.
Harris has also seen an outpouring of support from her party and a significant increase in donations to her campaign. She raised a historic $310 million last month and $36 million in 24 hours after she announced Gov. Walz as her running mate.
Her campaigning efforts have been strategic. Though she didn’t choose Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro as her VP pick — a representative from a swing state with a high number of electoral votes — Harris and Walz have been hitting the trails hard emphasizing the importance of this election.
“I think the stakes are so high right now, perhaps higher than I’ve ever seen before,” Schakowsky said. “The idea of Donald Trump vs. Kamala Harris is fascism versus freedom. It’s just that strong.”
Though there has not been much talk about her platform or policy efforts yet, Harris has been successful in other challenges Democrats were facing in the early days of this election.
“The vice president had three tasks when she took over: unite the party, fire up the base and reverse the polls. She is three for three,” Quigley said.
So far the DNC’s set speakers are former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. President Joe Biden will also be taking the stage on the first of the convention. It will be a full week of messaging from Democrats with their plans to prepare voters for November.
