CHICAGO — Virginia delegates are heading home from the Democratic National Convention, and the souvenir they’re bringing back is a fiery determination to back the blue.

 

“We’ve all lost our voices, but somehow we are still able to scream and cheer on, talk about and listen to all the things that we are supporting in this election,” Democratic delegate Randon Sprinkle said.

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From their kickoff dinner Sunday through Vice President Kamala Harris acceptance of the party’s nomination on Thursday night, the convention’s thrills exceeded Virginians’ expectations.

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Jack Stanley, who graduated from James Madison University in 2023 and attended the DNC as a guest, said the convention went even better than he thought it would.

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“There was like a switch that flipped when Kamala came in,” Stanley said. “The morale is very high and I think we’re kind of riding that wave and everybody’s excited to be here.”

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Harris campaign hits the Democratic Party’s refresh button

The delegation said they witnessed a rejuvenated Democratic Party that has united under a single candidate.

“Everybody has been talking about Dems being in disarray,” delegate Atima Omara said. “But I think this week it’s been very much Dems in array.”

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Like Omara, delegate Tina Barchik said she also observed a stronger Democratic Party that is “happy and positive and standing taller.”

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“We wanna grow an America that is together and stronger,” Barchik said. “That’s the message that we want to send that we are not divided. We are united.”

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Many of the delegates credited the reinvigoration to Harris’s month-old presidential campaign. 

“It’s been exciting hearing [Harris’s] vision of America,” Omara said.

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Part of her appeal has been her chemistry with her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz. State Del. Kannan Srinivasan, D-Loudon, says Walz strikes the balance between a “regular guy who understands common people’s problems” and a “superb vice president.”

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Srinivasan said Walz’s record as Minnesota’s governor demonstrates why. During his tenure, Walz supported efforts to provide public school attendees with free lunches and people seeking abortions with legal protections.

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“[Walz] has common sense solutions,” Srinivasan said.

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Virginia Democrats say voters should be wary of Trump

While the delegates say they’re thrilled to have Harris as their nominee, there’s another reason they say voters should elect her: to keep former President Donald Trump out of the White House.

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“What hangs over everything is the threat of another four years of Donald Trump,” said Levar Stoney, who is the mayor of Richmond and a JMU alumnus. “She is simply just the better candidate. She has been successful at every level.”

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Why the disdain for Trump and his campaign? Democrats point to Project 2025 — a plan to tie conservative opinions to governance.

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For State Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Peninsula, the impact that Project 2025 would have on Black and brown communities would be “devastating.” For example, she said the pollution in these communities would worsen under Project 2025’s relaxed environmental policies. Locke said if Trump were elected and the policies enacted, people of color would be the first to feel the impact.

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“If you elect someone like Donald Trump to become president again, the devastating impact that would have on Black and brown communities … alone should tell you you shouldn’t be voting for him,” Locke said.

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For Stanley, Harris is the ideal presidential candidate because of “the contrast of what we’re pushing for and what the right is pushing for.” 

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Whereas Democrats have focused on relief programs such as free school lunches, Stanley said “the far right” has focused on stripping rights from voters, specifically women.

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“One side is just insane,” Stanley said, referring specifically to die-hard Trump supporters. “We are genuinely just trying to make people’s lives better.”

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The Dems rev up engines for November

Even though the Virginians left the breakfast convinced that Harris-Walz can win, they’re still determined to ensure that possibility comes true.

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“Virginia has always been a battleground,” Omara said, adding that this makes grassroots efforts all the more important. As of Aug. 16, the Roanoke College’s polling data indicate Harris leads Trump 47% to 42% in Virginia.

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Despite this polling lead, Srinivasan said his fellow Democrats shouldn’t take the race for granted and need to capitalize on their momentum to “make sure that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz win.”

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Virginia Democrats say they plan to accomplish this by reaching out to young voters, which will ensure the Democratic Party’s continued growth, Sprinkle said.

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“I’m trying to figure out the best ways of telling folks and close friends how young people are able to be at the table and in these rooms,” he said. 

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Stoney said that if young people are looking to become more politically active, they shouldn’t stop at registering to vote. He said they should engage in local politics — such as attending city council meetings — and educate themselves on subjects they’re passionate about.

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“You have to be an active participant,” Stoney said. “You’re either at the table or you’re on the menu.”