Potential future presidential hopefuls court California Democrats
CHICAGO — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg extolled the Democratic ticket as a joyful and talented team headed toward victory as he spoke to California delegates at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday.
“Thank you for producing the next president of the United States, Kamala Harris,” he told a few hundred delegates and guests at a breakfast. “I can’t wait for her to take the oath of office and lead our country forward. She is an extraordinary leader.
“And I also think it’s not a bad thing to balance that California dreaming with some Minnesota nice,” the former South Bend, Ind., mayor said. “So on behalf of the Midwest, let me tell you how excited I am to be campaigning with Tim Walz,” he added, referring to the Minnesota governor and Harris’ running mate.
Unspoken was that Buttigieg, like other elected officials from outside California who addressed the state’s delegates over eggs and pastries, is an ambitious young leader who many believe has his eye on the Oval Office in the future. Both he and Harris unsuccessfully ran for president four years ago, and Buttigieg, 42, is widely expected to run again one day.
“I sincerely don’t know,” Buttigieg said in an interview when asked about his plans. “You know sometimes there’s something right in front of you and you’re preparing for it. There’s so many possibilities. I really don’t know. I do know that I’ll do everything I can to help her win.”
This dance takes place every four years at both major parties’ national political conventions. While the attention is focused on the nominees and prominent speakers, potential future Oval Office occupants use the gathering as an opportunity to woo party leaders, donors and activists.
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In 2004 at the Republican National Convention in New York City, then-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney threw a party for early-state delegates on the USS Intrepid, a retired aircraft carrier. Eight years later, Romney was nominated the party’s standard-bearer.
Even though California is an afterthought in the general election in presidential contests because of its cobalt blue tilt, it has an enormous number of delegates that could help determine the nominee of either party in a competitive primary. And it’s home to so many wealthy and small-dollar donors that it’s often the state that provides the most campaign cash to candidates from either party.
So in addition to courting delegates in early primary states, like Iowa for Republicans and South Carolina for Democrats, presidential hopefuls tend to audition and send up trial balloons to Californians.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, welcoming delegates to Chicago in a speech Tuesday, pointed out that he was born at Stanford Hospital and raised in the Northern California communities of Menlo Park and Atherton.
“I just love California,” Pritzker said. “But somehow, well, you guys have sent us all over the country from California, and now [I’m] in charge of Illinois. So I am really glad to have you here, especially pleased to welcome you here to the Land of Lincoln, who would be a Democrat if he were alive today.”
After name-checking a number of the state’s elected and party leaders as friends, Pritzker described his family’s history and his decision to run for governor in the 2018 election.
“My friends thought I was a little bit crazy,” he said. “Let me explain why. Honestly, the Democratic Party was not exactly crying out for a white, Ukrainian American, Jewish billionaire. I get it, I really do. I get it, but I’m a Democrat through and through.”
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A member of the family that owns the Hyatt hotel chain, Pritzker noted that his family emigrated penniless while fleeing the Soviets in Ukraine. And he touted Democratic achievements in Illinois since he was elected, including raising the minimum wage and teachers’ pay, eliminating grocery taxes, canceling medical debt and reducing the cost of prescription drugs.
“These are all things we need to do nationally,” Pritzker said.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer stopped by briefly Tuesday to fire up the crowd, which was bleary-eyed after the convention ran late Monday and the after-parties.
“It was a late night and an early morning, and you’re looking damn good. You ready to go?” she said. “We’re gonna have another great day here in Chicago. And I love the fact that the world is seeing a joyful, inclusive, mostly organized convention so far, right? And I think it’s just going to get better every single day.
“I am so proud to be here with California as the governor of Michigan,” she added. “I got to tell you, we know a little something about the work that needs to be done to win elections. The world is going to count on us to deliver for Harris, and we’re going to come through. You’re going to give her a Congress that’ll work with her, right?”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro hit six state delegation breakfasts over the course of two mornings at the Democratic National Convention, noting he and Harris had a long relationship because of their work as prosecutors and attorneys general.
“The work that I do is just like the work that Kamala Harris has done throughout her career, and I’ve been privileged to know her for the last 20 years,” Shapiro said. “Every time she stepped up in court, and every time I stepped up in court, it was always for the people. Now think about the clear contrast with the other side. Donald Trump hasn’t been for the people. He’s been for screwing over the people each and every opportunity he got.”
When asked about his future prospects, Shapiro demurred.
“I am focused like a laser beam every single day on governing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is a job I love. I am grateful to the good people of Pennsylvania for giving me this opportunity,” he told reporters. “And I think I’ve made crystal clear, this is the job I want to be in, and I’m going to remain in. I’m going to stay focused on that, and politically, making sure Kamala Harris and Tim Walz win this.”
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