Democratic National Convention: Ones to watch
By EMILY SCHULTHEIS | 8/2/12 9:11 PM EDT
The party confab in Charlotte will benefit some Democrats more than others. Here’s our rundown of the movers and shakers who stand to gain the most from the upcoming gathering.
ANTHONY FOXX, CHARLOTTE MAYOR
Anthony Foxx, 41, became Charlotte’s youngest mayor in 2009 and the first Democrat to hold the post in more than two decades. He is seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party. Landing the convention in Charlotte was a big victory for Foxx, who lobbied President Barack Obama and national Democrats hard on behalf of his city. But picking Charlotte wasn’t without its complications, and Foxx has a lot at stake as a result. Because North Carolina is a right-to-work state and the least unionized state, unions have heavily protested the decision and are planning to hold a “shadow convention” in Philadelphia earlier in the month. Charlotte is also a big banking hub, a fact at odds with the Obama administration’s criticism of the financial industry. Foxx has had a tough time navigating those issues as the Democratic Party comes to town.
WALTER DALTON, DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE
When North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue announced earlier this year that, lagging in the polls, she wouldn’t seek reelection, Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton stepped up. After winning the nomination in the state’s May 8 primary, Dalton has consistently trailed former Charlotte mayor and GOP businessman Pat McCrory in the polls: A Public Policy Polling survey released in July showed McCrory with a 7-percentage-point lead. Despite Republicans’ modest edge, however, national Democrats still see the race as competitive and are finding ways to help Dalton.
Dalton has a lot at stake at the convention as the host state’s gubernatorial nominee. National Democrats have so far opted to lend a helping hand with his campaign, a decision that will help keep him competitive against McCrory going into November; by performing well at the convention, he can raise his profile nationally and make connections with national funders that should help fill his campaign coffers.
CORY BOOKER, CO-CHAIRMAN, PLATFORM COMMITTEE
When the Newark mayor went on “Meet the Press” in May and denounced the Obama campaign’s anti-Romney Bain ads as “nauseating” — then took back his statements in a YouTube video — he set off a national firestorm and damaged his relationship with the Obama campaign. The mayor — often dubbed a rising Democratic star bound for higher statewide or national office — had his brand shaken in the wake of his Bain comments.
For Booker, the convention will test whether his relationship with the Obama campaign and national Democrats has mended. And his role as co-chairman of the committee that drafts the party’s official platform is not without its own set of challenges: Democrats have gone back and forth about whether to include support for same-sex marriage, and the issue will certainly arise during the drafting process. By handling the process smoothly and showing his full support for the president during the week, Booker can re-ingratiate himself to the Democratic players and prove his loyalty on the national stage.
LINDSAY SILER, CO-CHAIRWOMAN, OBAMA FOR AMERICA NORTH CAROLINA
Siler joined Organizing for America, the Obama campaign’s grass-roots arm, in 2009, just months after the president took office. She’s been in North Carolina ever since, first as OFA’s state director and then as state director for the official campaign. A veteran of both Planned Parenthood and Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential bid, Siler has been involved in national politics for almost a decade. But her challenge between now and November, as for all Obama’s staff in North Carolina, is a big one. Obama won the state by a narrow margin in 2008 — just 14,000 votes. In the almost four years since then, the state has become increasingly tough for the president; when the state voted in May to outlaw same-sex marriage just as Obama was announcing his support for the policy, that further raised doubts that he will be able to pull off another victory there this November. The convention is a chance for Democrats to show that the race for North Carolina is closer than people think. To achieve that, Siler will play a big role.
DAVID PARKER, CHAIRMAN, NORTH CAROLINA DEMOCRATIC PARTY
It’s been a tough year for David Parker: The embattled party chief came under fire for his involvement in a sexual harassment scandal at the state party. The debacle forced the state party’s then-executive director, Jay Parmley, to resign in April. Parker announced he wouldn’t leave, despite enormous pressure from both Gov. Perdue and national Democrats. As a result, national Democrats have made efforts to work around the state party in funding key races in the Tarheel State, including the gubernatorial race and a handful of congressional contests.
For Parker, who’s become somewhat of a pariah on his own turf, the convention will be a challenge: He has the opportunity to improve his image and perhaps repair his legacy, or he could make things worse for himself. The way Parker interacts with the hordes of national Democrats who descend on the state will certainly be one of the week’s most interesting things to watch.
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