West Virginia Democratic leaders take in Democratic National Convention from Chicago – WV MetroNews

CHICAGO, IL — Democratic political figures from West Virginia took in this week’s Democratic National Convention from the floor of the United Center in Chicago.

Olivia Dowler, a first-time candidate for House of Delegates and recent graduate of West Virginia University, says the convention has an uplifting experience for her.

“It’s been such a powerful, joyful, hopeful environment, almost something I’ve never experienced before,” Dowler said on Metro News Talkine with Hoppy Kercheval on Thursday.

Dowler got a live look at speeches from dozens of Democratic leaders throughout the week, including the likes of former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, as well as President Biden and current vice president nominee Tim Walz.

Dowler says the collective message sent this week has been that the Democratic leaders will fight for the American people.

“They keep emphasizing, ‘it doesn’t matter if you do vote for us or not, if we get in there, we’re still going to represent you and we’re still going to support you,” Dowler said.

Dowler, a Hancock County native, says she knew she wanted to make a difference as a Democratic politician right after graduating.

“I knew I couldn’t let myself be a bystander when I saw that I could make a difference,” Dowler. “I don’t think the community is adequately being listened to and their voices really need to be heard in the legislature, and I believe I can go out there and do that for them.”

Steven Wendelin, the Democratic nominee for District 2 in West Virginia, says the upcoming race is about everyone, and those in rural communities are not forgotten by the Democratic Party.

“The Democrats have not forgotten rural America,” Wendelin said. “We are all Americans, including the rural Americans and this race is about all of us.”

Glen Elliot, former Wheeling mayor and candidate for U.S. Senate, says the brand of the Democratic Party in West Virginia is challenged and he and the other politicians need to bring the positive message back with them.

“As a delegate from West Virginia, I recognize that the Democratic brand is challenged back in my home state,” Elliot said. “We have to do a better job of telling them why we are the party of working-class West Virginians, we’re the party of the underdog. That’s what we always were, and we’ve lost that identity with a lot of West Virginia voters, so we need to bring the message from here back and let people know that we’re looking out for them.”

Current Vice President Kamala Harris closed out the DNC Thursday night, officially accepting the Democratic Party bid for president.