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New Mexico's Democratic convention delegates moved by women leaders, excited by VP pick
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Vice President Kamala Harris and her pick for vice president, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, have an abridged runway to the general election after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race in July, but New Mexico Democratic Party Chair Jessica Velasquez said that might be a blessing.
鈥淭he shorter runway is actually focusing that energy and that momentum. We鈥檙e seeing voters fired up and ready to go in ways I haven鈥檛 seen in my tenure as chair,鈥� Velasquez said Wednesday from Chicago, the city hosting this year鈥檚 convention.
New Mexico鈥檚 delegation to the Democratic National Convention pledged their votes for Harris on Tuesday to the tune of 鈥淐onfident鈥� by Demi Lovato. The delegates officially nominated Harris with a virtual vote on Aug. 6, but the ceremonial in-person roll call reaffirmed her nomination.
The executive director of New Mexico鈥檚 Democratic Party, Sean Ward, had a social media moment during the roll call, thanks to his notable mustache and 1970s style. People on X joked that a 鈥渢ime traveler鈥� had slipped into the New Mexico delegation.
鈥淪ean works very, very hard for our state party, and he deserves that little bit of spotlight,鈥� Marisol Enriquez, Bernalillo County Democratic Party chair and one of New Mexico鈥檚 45 delegates, said Wednesday.
Another highlight for Enriquez, who is attending the DNC for the first time, has been the speeches from women leaders like former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former first lady Michelle Obama and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
鈥淚 was really struck and touched by Hillary Clinton鈥檚 speech the other night,鈥� Enriquez said. 鈥淚 thought she was dynamic. She reminded us that she has worked to get us to this point.鈥�
Enriquez ran to be a delegate in March, months before Biden dropped out of the presidential race. Initially, she was nervous about the quick timeline for Harris鈥� campaign. In New Mexico, early voting starts in October.
鈥淭he fact that this is the opportunity for us to have a woman president, and also a Black woman, South Asian woman to be president, is historic and it鈥檚 energetic, and I think we鈥檙e ready for it,鈥� Enriquez said.
New Mexico delegate John Dyrcz said the convention energy is 鈥渆lectric鈥� and has different momentum from the last three Democratic National Conventions he has attended. His first was the 2012 convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, when former President Barack Obama was running for his second term and Biden was his running mate.
Dyrcz is a labor leader and thinks Harris would be a pro-labor president. He is also excited by Harris鈥檚 VP pick. Walz was a geography teacher before becoming a congressman and then governor. Dyrcz thinks that Walz鈥檚 鈥減lain-spoken nature鈥� will appeal to New Mexicans.
鈥淚 work for the teachers union in New Mexico, and so having somebody on the ticket who was a labor member, was in the classroom, understands public education, is supportive of public education, is a really good telegraph in my mind of the importance that Vice President Harris puts on our schools,鈥� Dyrcz said Tuesday.
This year鈥檚 92-page Democratic Party platform also reflects the changing nature of the presidential race. The platform contains references to President Biden and Harris 鈥渞unning to finish the job.鈥� But the values encased in the platform, like growing the middle class, supporting public education and protecting LGBTQI+ rights, resonate with Dyrcz.
Dyrcz is part of the LGBT community and is worried that the Supreme Court could overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 decision to recognize same-sex marriage.
鈥淜nowing that Harris-Walz as the next administration is going to look out for my rights as a person to be with my partner and love who I love is really critical,鈥� Dyrcz said.
