Kamala Harris continues to inspire PA Democrats

Pennsylvania Democrats are still riding the enthusiasm of Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the party’s presidential nominee and have been treated with front row seats to the Democratic National Convention.

Democrats from across Pennsylvania descended upon Chicago this week for the Democratic National Convention, and the monthlong surge of enthusiasm from Vice President Kamala Harris entering the 2024 presidential election has continued to pour over into the event. 

State Rep. Tarik Khan (D-Philadelphia) told The Keystone on the convention floor that the enthusiasm with President Joe Biden stepping aside and passing the torch to Harris has been “night and day.” 

“With Biden — I love Biden — but unfortunately people were concerned about his age and with Kamala, it’s just been a lot of energy. Positive energy, people are genuinely excited. I think she brings a lot of joy, a lot of natural joy in her heart, and I think it’s reflective. People really respond to it.”

Khan is a first term House representative attending his first convention as a delegate and was born and raised in Philadelphia after his father came to the US from Pakistan in 1964 to work as an engineer. 

Khan called Harris’ rise to the top of the Democratic party “remarkable” after she became the first Asian American and Black woman to receive a party’s nomination for president.  

“It just shows how far we’ve come as a country,” Khan said. 

“My father, he came from Pakistan in 1964 and that was at a time when we needed engineers and we really didn’t have a lot of Asian Americans. Just to see how far we’ve come — there’s an Asian American, Black woman who’s going to be the first president of that background.”

It is no secret that Pennsylvania is going to be the most influential swing-state in the upcoming presidential election, and the commonwealth’s delegation at the DNC has been treated as such. 

The Pennsylvania delegation has front row seats on the convention floor to watch Harris and other speakers, and has been treated with a dazzling lineup of speakers at their daily breakfasts. 

Aside from Gov. Josh Shapiro and House Speaker Joanna McClinton, speakers included Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and his wife, Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, US Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg and others.

“We all want every single vote, every single presidential election and every other election to matter and that means we fight in every part of this country for our values and to elect the very best candidates,” Beshear told those who were shaking off the cobwebs from the previous night and brave enough to venture into Tuesday’s early breakfast.  

“Pennsylvania, I’m excited,” Besher said. “You are going to deliver the presidency for Kamala Harris.”