CHICAGO â Convention roll call votes can be staid and cheesy, but Democrats turned theirs into the ultimate dance party on Tuesday.
DJ Cassidy stood onstage in what appeared to be a double-breasted satin suit of royal blue, spinning a special song for each state and territory awarding their delegates to Vice President Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention. What America got was a mashup of an elite karaoke night: Detroit native Eminem's âLose Yourselfâ for Michigan, Dropkick Murphys' âI'm Shipping Up to Bostonâ for Massachusetts and Tupac Shakur's âCalifornia Loveâ for California.
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Georgia brought out one of its natives in person: Atlanta's Lil Jon striding through Chicago's United Center to the beats of âTurn Down for What,â his song with DJ Snake.
In short, Democrats were determined to put the party in political party, part of their broader effort to project joy and positive energy even as they issue dire warnings about the need to beat Republican nominee Donald Trump.
The party last used a video roll call during the pandemic -restricted 2020 convention that famously had Rhode Island featuring its state dish, calamari, creating the pressure to do something bigger this year. (The chef holding that iconic tray of calamari later turned out to be a Trump supporter.)
This year's roll call vote featured the party's emerging political stars like Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. Movie director Spike Lee was there for New York, while the actor Sean Astin, who starred in the Notre Dame-set football movie âRudy,â was with the Indiana delegation.
The musical choices were something of a risk. The 1996 Democratic convention in Chicago infamously featured delegates gyrating awkwardly to âMacarena (Bayside Boys Remix)" by the Spanish pop duo Los del RĂo. Video of the Macarena still circulates among political diehards nearly three decades later.
Floridaâs delegation played Tom Pettyâs anthem to hard-headedness, âI Wonât Back Down,â in casting its delegates for Harris â a not-too-subtle jab at the stateâs Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Petty was born in the Florida city of Gainesville. DeSantis used the song as the theme of his failed Republican presidential primary this cycle, and it was part of the name of a super PAC that spent lavishly in his losing cause.
âFlorida is worth fighting for,â state Democratic chairwoman Nikki Fried declared, arguing that her state is worth national Democrats campaigning for despite it moving hard to the right and likely to go for Trump in November.
Alabama, obviously, got âSweet Home Alabamaâ by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Alaska announced their backing of Vice President Kamala Harris to âFeel It Stillâ by Portugal. The Man, a band from Wasilla, where Republican Sarah Palin was once mayor.
Minnesota went with â1999â by Paisley Parkâs own Prince. Indiana, with Astin by the microphone, went with Gary native Michael Jacksonâs âDonât Stop âtil You Get Enough.â Nevada played âMr. Brightsideâ by The Killers, the synth pop band from Las Vegas. Kansas went with âCarry On My Wayward Sonâ by the rock band Kansas. New Jersey went with Bruce Springsteenâs âBorn in the USA.â
âUnder one groove nothing can stop us now,â DJ Cassidy said over Springsteenâs anthem.
Despite the festive mood, the roll call announcements did contain some serious moments. Texas' Kate Cox had her request for an abortion during a troubled pregnancy rejected by that state's supreme court, forcing her to go to another state for the procedure. But Cox announced on the floor that she was again pregnant and the baby was due in January.
Under Democratic Party rules, only Harris garnered enough signatures to be entered into nomination. Votes for any other person or uncommitted votes were tallied as âpresentâ during the virtual roll call earlier this month. Tuesday nightâs âcelebratoryâ vote is following that earlier roll callâs vote total.