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2010 State Convention

California Democratic Party
2010 State Convention


 





Faces and Voices of the Convention

 
   

Dominique Clark, Volunteer:

“We’re here to get excited for the upcoming elections, to feel the kind of enthusiasm when people get together. It’s good for people to come to the table and share ideas. No one person can solve a problem.”
 
  
 

Janice Hahn, Los Angeles City Council:

 

“I’ve been a lifelong Democrat. I think it was stamped on my birth certificate: mother, father, party. This convention is about energizing the Democrats and the delegates who care about politics, who vote, to energize them for the fall.  They realize the failures of a Republican governor for eight years. It’s half pep rally, half convention to reaffirm that the Democrats are right, that our values are right, to be a Democrat means something.”

 		  
   
 
   

Russell Krupen:

 

EQ CA Challenging Proposition 8 

“Everyone here at the convention has a big interest in politics and the Democratic Party. We need that support if we’re going to win the next time marriage and equality are on the ballot. So if we’re going to overturn Prop 8 and make marriage and equality legal again, we need support from the delegates, the people in power, volunteers and activists.”
   
 
 

Michael Powell:

 

Volunteer

“The only way to have a true democracy and a true republic is to have people who care about the ideas being talked about. If we’re not educated, and we don’t think for ourselves, we won’t be well represented and we won’t have what we want in our future. We need to give people who are poor a chance to go to college, have equal chances as everyone else to be successful. Education is extremely important to provide a smart intelligent work force.”

  
   
 
 
                                                                                                                 
             		 

Kevin Sullivan:

 

Delegate 53rd State Assembly District

“You’re sitting next to your peers, with people who believe what you believe. You get recharged into the principles of what you believe in and will fight for.”
 
 


  
   

Jeff Ferro

 

UFCW

“A lot of people don’t connect politics with the day to day working lives of people.  Connecting political lives and the working lives of people are how we can advance together. Our members face the same economic struggles everyone else does. The Democrats have the platform to help them grow and start to moving forward again, to back the important issues like public safety, good jobs, health care for all.”
 

Tyrone Cabell:

 

California Teachers Association

“We’re here to make education strong in California because we’ve had a lot of budget cuts in programs. We interview candidates across the state. We support our teachers and a lot of teachers are very political and give money to candidates who support public education.”

  
   

Vincent DePaul:

 

Celebs T Shirts

“I voted for the president and a lot of people have stopped supporting him because he didn’t create change overnight. People expected change to be fast, and it isn’t going to be fast. It’s good to get people together and come up with ideas on how to create change. I relate it to loving my football team, hating my quarterback, which doesn’t make sense. You can’t be a Democrat and not support the president. He’s the quarterback of our team. We have to keep supporting him and showing love.”

 

Kent Smith:

 

Delegate-San Diego PAC 66th State Assembly District

“Today I have my three daughters here to introduce them to the process and I hope it catches on. When young people vote, Democrats win. And women. That’s true too. At the convention, you can pigeonhole politicians. You will find them in caucuses, in the hallways, in the restroom. The purpose of the convention is to mobilize our forces to get the Democratic electorate going.”

  
 


  

Jennifer Pae:

 

Chair Northern California Asian Pacific Islander Caucus

“I still have to pinch myself that health care did pass and it was the Democrats that came together on it. It’s reaffirming to have health care pass, a big issue that affects us on a daily basis. Unfortunately my dad passed away at 44 from heart disease. He did not have health care. Now we have 32 million people covered, previously uninsured. We have to keep championing these issues. If not, we’ll be at a loss.”
 
CDP Chairman John Burton works tirelessly to promote Democratic victory in November 2010.
  
Jerry Brown lets convention delegates in on his plans to win the California governorship this fall.
 
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has the smile and look of a winner. His confidence and convention networking helped him win the Lt. Governor's primary over rival Janice Hahn. 

 
State Controller John Chiang tells conventioneers about his battles to save California finances, protect state workers from layoffs and paycuts, and stand up to GOP fiscal irresponsibility.
 
  
Congresswoman Jane Harman greets supporters en route to a convention endorsement and eventual primary victory. 
 Supporters of Harman rival Marcy Winograd mobilize for a key convention floor challenge, losing a spirited battle to unseat the congressional veteran.

Assembly member Ted Lieu states his case for the attorney general post--his primary bid fell short. 

 
California State Democrats honor David Greene as volunteer of the year, seen here with Carson Mayor John Dear 
 
  
   
   All photos and interviews courtesy of Rick Parrott