Local DNC delegate predicts enthusiastic convention
Democratic National Convention delegate Richard Anderson, of Ruston, is looking forward to a smoothly run gathering next week marked by lots of enthusiasm for presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
“I like the ticket,” Anderson said Friday.
The DNC convenes Monday in Chicago for a four-day run.
Anderson is one of five delegates representing Louisiana’s Lincoln Parish-inclusive 5th Congressional District. Louisiana has 53 total delegates.
Anderson said he wishes Harris had chosen Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear as her running mate, but he is comfortable with Walz. He said the controversy over Walz’ military service will be “of no concern at all” at the convention.
Republican presidential hopeful former President Donald Trump and his vice presidential nominee Ohio Sen. JD Vance have criticized Walz, saying he's misrepresented his National Guard service record and retired rather than deploy with his unit to Iraq.
Walz is scheduled to address the convention Wednesday when he formally accepts his party’s nomination for vice president. Harris speaks Thursday.
“That’s the big one,” Anderson said.
Harris’ speech is one of the events Anderson said he’s looking most forward to.
This is Anderson’s third convention. He was a Louisiana delegate to the 2008 convention that selected Barack Obama and Joe Biden as the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, and a Texas delegate to the 2012 convention that renominated the successful Obama- Biden ticket.
Biden, who dropped out of the 2024 race in July, is scheduled to address the convention Monday night.
