CHICAGO — Crews were hard at work Sunday, the day before the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Chicago, with dozens of U.S Secret Service and other law enforcement personnel securing the gates around the United Center.
Several high-profile figures, including President Joe Biden, will be addressing a crowd of thousands of Democrats on Monday ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris’ formal presidential nomination on Thursday.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and other Kentucky delegates arrived in the Windy City Sunday. Chicago has hosted more U.S. presidential conventions than any other city.
A looming question is whether Beshear will be one of the primetime speakers through the week – not far removed from coming up short in his bid to be Harris’ running mate.
“We’re really proud to be on the front lines of that, and Kentucky has a great story to tell,” Kentucky Democratic Party Chairman Colmon Elridge told WHAS11 in Chicago Sunday.
Elridge believes even though Beshear wasn’t the VP pick, weeks of national attention made a positive impact on the state.
“You have to look where we came from. For so long, it’s been the Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell Whoever Show,” Elridge said.
Kentucky Democrats for years have played the underdog role against a Republican-controlled state legislature.
They continue to look to Beshear to help turn the tide, but Democratic state lawmakers have yet to successfully ride his coattails to secure more seats in the House or Senate.
“He’s going to do whatever he can do to make sure we’re taken care of as the Commonwealth,” said Allison Wiseman, president of the Kentucky Young Democrats.
Meanwhile, Indiana Democrat and delegate Adam Dickey of New Albany also understands the uphill battle, as his state also remains a Republican stronghold.
“Sometimes when you’re an underdog, you’ve got to be a little but more scrappy. You’ve got to really put up a lot more energy into the politics of the day,” Dickey told WHAS11.