When initially selected in the spring, the seven North Bay-North Coast delegates and one alternate to the Aug. 19-22 Democratic National Convention in Chicago understood their posts to be mostly ceremonial. At best, it was a chance to rub shoulders with party and media bigshots.
The Windy City in August is no picnic on the sands of Stinson Beach. It’s reminiscent of summer in sweltering Bakersfield. Instead of spending their time listening to boring speakers, delegates from the North Bay’s congressional District 2 might find themselves playing the role of national king or queen maker.
Our politically “deep blue” district runs from the Golden Gate to Oregon. Rep. Jared Huffman sits in Congress as the representative.
The San Rafael Democrat, who is automatically a voting delegate, will be the effective leader of the Second District delegation. Democratic delegates are selected by online polling with all registered Democrats allowed to vote. Few do.
Only party insiders or potential delegates’ friends bother to cast ballots. For both parties, the delegate selection process is aimed at each party’s base. Nowadays, that means left-leaning progressives and organized labor for Democrats, with “Trumpicans” representing “America First” values for the GOP.
As progressives demanded, the categories of California Democratic convention delegates are divided by gender-identification preferences. There are three categories: self-identified females, self-identified males an.
