San Diego, Democrats Welcome
The California Democratic Convention is more important than ever, and it’s taking place at the San Diego Convention Center this weekend.
Why does it matter?
Since California passed legislation moving our primaries to February 5, we’ve finally become more than an ATM in the political process. Our primaries will now help determine who will run for the highest office in our land.
What does this mean to San Diegans?
San Diego has received MUCH more attention from the candidates from both sides of the aisle in recent months. Even before the convention, most of the presidential candidates started spending time in San Diego communities, courting voters and making connections.
Further elevating San Diego’s importance in the political process, this marks the first time that the California Democratic Party statewide convention has ever been held in San Diego.
Why are San Diegans important to the Democratic Party?
San Diego’s political base has shifted recently, with Democrats now outnumbering Republicans 39 percent to 33 percent, with the remaining 28 percent distributed between other minor parties or unaffiliated.
As of the October 23, 2006 close of voter registration, San Diego County has the second largest number (472,053) of registered Democrats, behind Los Angeles County (1,946,939), and slightly ahead of Orange County (450,207). This means we also have the second largest number of delegates to the State Party (52, under L.A.’s 199).
What can you expect at the California Democratic Convention?
Politics, of course. Politicians will do their bests to court activists, insiders and elected officials whose support can lead to donations and, ultimately, votes.
The campaigns will also use the convention to recruit activists and volunteers to stuff envelopes, knock on doors, and organize “get-out-the-vote” efforts. Among the attendees, new relationships will be formed, and old friends reconnected.
Seven of the eight democratic presidential candidates will appear at the convention this weekend (leaving Joseph Biden as the only missing democratic candidate.) On Friday evening, Mike Gravel will address the convention.
On Saturday, expect to hear speeches from:
Other speakers include Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, Attorney General Jerry Brown, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez of Los Angeles, Reps. Susan Davis and Bob Filner of San Diego and City Attorney Michael Aguirre.
Sunday’s speakers include:
Impeachment of President Bush is definitely one of many issues the delegates will consider over the weekend. Ending the war in Iraq will probably come in a close second, and the two issues are linked. Other hot-button issues include Iran, stem cell research, immigration, prison construction and the environment.
If you can’t attend the convention, you can watch the live webcast online. (You will need to enter your email address and zip code, and may need to allow cookies and Active-X controls to access this site, depending upon your browser and video viewer.)
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1 opinion for San Diego, Democrats Welcome
diogenes
Apr 30, 2007 at 1:03 am
Thanks for the comment at the risk of your life;-)
Hope you are still alive. Come and tell me that you are. LOL
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