Photo provided Democratic nominee for Indiana’s 6th Congressional District Cinde Wirth is shown at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week.
A Columbus resident and Democratic nominee for Indiana’s 6th Congressional District attended the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week, describing the event as exciting and surreal.
Cinde Wirth, who is seeking the Congressional seat currently held by Rep. Greg Pence, R-Ind., said she attended the DNC as a “special guest” and had a pass for the first night of the convention, which included speeches from former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and President Joe Biden, as well as a surprise appearance by presumptive Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.
The first night of the four-day event was held Monday in Chicago. Wirth said she planned to travel back to Columbus Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s incredible,” Wirth said Tuesday when asked about her impressions of the event. “The excitement, the enthusiasm, the hope, joy. …Last night was just unbelievable in terms of all of that hope, the joy, the excitement.”
“It was a long night, so by the time we got off the buses and got to the right hotels from the United Center last night, it was after one o’clock in the morning,” she added.
Wirth said she received the pass to attend the DNC through contacts that she made through a fellowship on Capitol Hill. Special guests at the convention are not delegates who cast votes for the party’s presidential nominee.
Wirth said she attended caucuses that she is a part of, including the rural caucus, poverty caucus, affordable housing caucus, women’s caucus and the small business caucus. She described the caucuses at the convention as “discussions” and “information presentations.”
“It’s a good chance to get an update on issues that are affecting the whole country,” Wirth said.
The DNC’s first night showcased speeches from Clinton; Biden; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., among other Democratic leaders, The Associated Press reported.
Clinton spoke hopefully of finally breaking the “glass ceiling” to elect a female president, according to wire reports. Biden laced into Trump and directly acknowledged the concerns of protesters against the war in Gaza who demonstrated a few blocks from the convention hall.
Biden wrapped up the convention’s opening night by beginning his long political farewell with an address that both framed his own legacy and signaled he was ready to start ceding control of the party to Harris, according to the AP.
He took the stage to a long, raucous ovation from delegates hoisting “We love Joe” placards and told them in turn, “I love you!” After the affectionate opening, Biden spent long stretches of his 50-minute speech hitting Trump, returning to a key theme of the reelection campaign he’s no longer running.
Biden ticked through many of his administration’s achievements, including a major public works package and climate program, and shared the credit with Harris. He said picking Harris as his running mate was the best decision he ever made and promised to be the “best volunteer” that Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz have ever seen.
His closing message to those still listening as the convention stretched late into the night: “I gave my best to you for 50 years.”
The vice president made an unscheduled appearance onstage to pay tribute to Biden ahead of his own address to the convention, according to wire reports. She told the president, “Thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all you’ll continue to do.”
Wirth said she was in attendance during the speeches.
“What (Biden) had to say, I think, came straight from the heart, and it was very meaningful to all of the I-don’t-know-how-many thousands of people that were in the arena, but it was kind of surreal,” Wirth said. “…It was (emotional). There were a lot of people in tears, not just for his speech, but also during Hillary Clinton’s.”
Wirth is the only local resident known to have attended one of the major parties’ national conventions this year, both of which were within driving distance from Columbus.
The Republican National Convention was held in Milwaukee last month just after the GOP nominee, former President Donald Trump, survived an assassination attempt.
Officials with the Bartholomew County Republican Party told The Republic last month during the RNC that they were unaware of any local residents who traveled to Milwaukee for the convention.
