Ohio’s delegation for the Democratic National Convention voted unanimously Monday night to pledge its votes to Vice President Kamala Harris, after President Joe Biden ended his re-election bid.
Of the thousands of delegates heading to the DNC in Chicago next month, a little less than 150 are from Ohio.
Sen. Bill DeMora (D-Columbus) said every delegate essentially became “a free agent” following Biden’s announcement on Sunday night that he would finish out his current term and not seek another. No Ohio delegate is bound to vote for Harris come convention time—but nobody voted against the Monday motion.
For Ohio delegates, convention injected with fresh energy
Within hours of Biden exiting the race and endorsing his second-in-command, Ohio delegates began coalescing around Harris. In interviews, some of them said they feel mixed emotions heading into a convention with a less-settled outcome. One is excitement around a new race.
“It is just night-and-day. I wish could have said that we were as enthusiastic about a rematch,” said Spencer Dirrig, the Midwest vice president for Young Democrats of America. “It would be a lie.”
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Waves of Democrats across the country, including elected officials at every level of government, rallied behind Harris starting Sunday afternoon.
Ethan Nichols and Patrick Houlihan, both in their early 20’s and from the greater Cincinnati region, are serving as first-time delegates at the DNC. Nichols voiced his vote on X, formerly Twitter, for Harris minutes after Biden withdrew.
“I have nothing against an open convention. I think that would be incredibly healthy for our party,” Nichols said in an interview. “At the same time, I do believe that as delegates and as a party and as voters, we do need to coalesce behind the vice president.”
Houlihan was still thinking it over Monday morning. By the evening, he said he would cast his ballot for Harris—calling her the Democrats’ best shot. But the curveballs have created some nerves.
“I was a pledged delegate. I didn't have to really worry much about the convention because I was going to go there and nominate the Biden-Harris ticket and engage in the festivities. I'm still going to be engaging in the festivities,” Houlihan said in an interview.
August will be Columbus City Councilmember Lourdes Barroso de Padilla’s second DNC. She said for her, Harris was a no-brainer.
“At a critical time, you have to, you have to dig into that playbook, and you have to put the best play forward,” Barroso de Padilla said in an interview, adding that she feels it's time for a woman as commander-in-chief.
In more recent history, conventions have been largely ceremonial—with each party’s nominee often decided earlier in the primary election season.
But Ohio’s delegates commended Biden for bowing out. “I think Joe Biden served us well. I think that he put country before self and that he understood that at this time, that Kamala Harris was going to be the next best leader for our party,” Barroso de Padilla said.
