SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — It was certainly a Democratic National Convention like no other. Instead of the usual fanfare and energy-charged in-person convention, delegates and voters turned to their TVs to watch a line-up of speakers for the first night of the DNC on Monday.
“I am optimistic that we are going to see a program tonight that is really more engaging and really more connected,” said Jess Durfee, chair of the Western Region Caucus of the Democratic National Committee.
Past San Diego County Democratic Party Chair Durfee is serving his third and final term as a Democratic National Committee member.
“I will miss all of the in-person events - the receptions, the luncheons, the schmoozing. That's part of going to the convention,” said Durfee.
However, Durfee said being a delegate is expensive, from the hotel rooms and food, so now he’s saving a lot of money and there are many firsts.
“This morning while I was in a caucus meeting, I was baking some sourdough bread. You can't do that at a convention,” said Durfee.
Current San Diego County Democratic Party Chair Will Rodriguez-Kennedy is a Senator Bernie Sanders delegate and knows a lot of work needs to be done to defeat President Trump and elect former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris.
“It's going to be a different feel,” said Rodriguez-Kennedy. “But what we will have is a very accessible method of communication.”
University of San Diego political professor focusing on presidential elections, Casey Dominguez, Ph.D., said past conventions gained bandwagon voters and a virtual convention will have different dynamics.
“This convention, at least for the Democrats, isn't rancorous it's just not 'rah rah.' We don’t really know what the effects will be,” said Dominguez.
She said social media will play a key role in both conventions to impact voters.
“It will be interesting to see if any of the parties can do anything on social media that gets some of that excitement going,” said Dominguez.
On Thursday, the San Diego County Democratic Party will have a pre-virtual watch party before Biden takes the stage.