CHICAGO — Wearing blue garb and wielding ear-to-ear smiles, Virginia Democrats celebrated Vice President Kamala Harris’s candidacy and united under one phrase.

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“We are not going back, and I can tell for sure, my ass ain’t going,” as Doris Crouse-Mays colorfully put it. 

Delegates and party activists responded to Crouse-Mays, president of Virginia’s chapter of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, with whooping and hollering in the Hyatt Regency Chicago’s Big Bar on Sunday evening. Virginia delegates have made that hotel their headquarters for events during the Democratic National Convention that starts Monday. Other speakers at Sunday’s opening event included state party chairwoman Susan Swecker, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, and Del. Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, the Virginia House of Delegates’ majority leader.

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Throughout each speech, Democrats nodded along, punctuating sentences with long “mm-hmm”s and applause. The consensus was unwavering confidence in Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota.

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“We are going home having nominated the most qualified, competent person for president of the United States,” Swecker said. “That’s something I’m incredibly and verbally proud of.”

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Biden: A decision that ‘made sense’

When the delegates were selected earlier this year, they expected an entirely different ticket. But since President Joe Biden bowed out of the race last month, the Biden-Harris ticket has morphed into Harris-Walz and changed the dynamics of the presidential race. 

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Virginians spoke about Biden’s decision with respect and reverence. Several referred to his departure as a sacrifice for democracy.

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Del. Randon Sprinkle, D-Richmond, said he wasn’t surprised by Biden’s decision. He said Biden’s thinking was likely a methodical slow burn rather than an impulsive reaction.

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“I think the change was made in a way that made sense in the party,” Sprinkle said. “It wasn’t reactionary.” 

Sprinkle added that Biden’s endorsement of Harris exemplified Biden’s methodical nature. 

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That doesn’t mean everyone was happy with how the situation played out. Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Mamie Locke said she wished the Democratic Party’s calls for Biden to end his reelection campaign were more private. While Locke said she isn’t surprised Biden stepped down, she said she worried the party forced Biden’s hand.

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Harris: A ‘historic’ nomination

Sprinkle was one of many Virginians who was visibly excited to play a role in Harris’s election bid. Dinner attendees wore shirts and hats adorned with Harris’s face and name. 

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Locke said Harris’s nomination would be “historic” on many levels. The speakers also enumerated Harris’s qualifications for the job, specifically her successful campaigns for district attorney, state senator and vice president. 

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Since Harris took the reins of the Democratic presidential campaign, Sprinkle said he’s seen a reinvigorated and transformed party. For example, Sprinkle pointed to Harris’s “brat summer”-inspired social media campaign.

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“She brings a different coalition than Biden does,” Sprinkle said. “Not in a negative or positive way, but there are a lot of voices that are excited by the potential of having not only the first woman president but the first Black woman president, Asian-American president.” 

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Others, including Swecker, said they were excited about Harris’s potential to carry on Biden’s pro-union frame of mind — a goal shared by Harris’s vice presidential pick.

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Walz: A ‘folksy’ newcomer to the scene

Virginia Democrats said one of the most important objectives for a vice presidential candidate is to help balance out what the presidential contender might lack.

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To them, Walz compliments Harris in the best way. Locke specifically cited Walz’s accolades as a teacher and coach in Nebraska and Minnesota. Speakers repeatedly mentioned Walz’s experience with workers’ unions.

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“I like the energy he brings to the ticket,” Locke said, adding that she is fond of his “folksy ways.”

Sprinkle said Walz “exemplifies Democratic values” and said he seems like the type of guy a layman might expect to be a Republican. Because of this, Sprinkle sees Harris’s selection of Walz as a potentially uniting move across the political spectrum.

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“I think [the ticket] continues to showcase the message of union work, of diverse populations, and that everyone has a seat at the table,” Sprinkle said.

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In the wake of the Democratic Party’s division over Biden’s reelection campaign less than a month ago, Virginians see this new ticket as the party’s best hope.

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“I think the divide has gone away for the most part because people are rallying around Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz for the election,” Locke said, “and I think that’s done a lot to bring about some healing.”