BUFFALO, N.Y. — With the Monday opening of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, 2 On Your Side caught up with some of the local party leaders who are also of course delegates at the BNIA airport Sunday evening to hear what they expect.
We also saw the candidates from both sides this weekend in the key battleground State of Pennsylvania.
First a reminder that as a swing state, Pennsylvania is indeed crucial to both Republicans and Democrats on Saturday, former President Trump greeted the crowd in Wilkes Barre -the northeastern part of the state which helped him win in 2016 and ripped Vice President Harris, President Biden, and the Democratic convention.
Trump said "It's a rigged convention. Obviously. She got no votes. He had 14. You know, sleepy Joe had 14 -- 14 million votes. She got no votes."
So also, this weekend Vice President Harris, who did get a previous virtual approval vote from a majority of Democratic party delegates, was in suburban Pittsburgh. She was trying to corral support for the state's 19 electoral votes. Harris told the crowd: "Through these next 79 days we will continue to build communities, build coalitions, and remind each other we are all in this together."
Now getting 'together' in Chicago are the 3,932 Democratic delegates including those from Western New York.
Erie County Democratic Party Chair Jeremy Zellner said he was looking forward to hearing from President Biden Monday night. "There's a lot of love for the President. Making a difficult choice, sacrificing for this country. He didn't have to. He could have stayed and stuck it through. But I think he looked at it and saw it was going to be tough for him to do so. So, I'm really excited to hear from him."
Erie County Democratic Party Secretary Jennifer Hibit added "I think him stepping aside and moving over to left Vice President Harris take the lead was the right thing to do. And now we're all standing up and getting ready to support her."
These delegates are aware that protestors will seek to disrupt the convention. Some held press conferences and rallies starting on Sunday. One protest leader said " We demonstrated against the Republicans, and we came here to demonstrate against the Democrats. We think both political parties don't give a damn about poor and homeless people or working people for that matter."
Another added "Marching to the DNC and saying what we have to say. We have a right to be there."
When asked about the expected protests Zelllner said "I don't think you're going to see a huge number of protestors there. Nothing like we've seen in the past. Many of the people in our party have coalesced around the Vice President and that's just the way it's going to be."