PORTLAND, Oregon — Monday is day one of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) and several Oregon delegates are attending in Chicago, including state Representative Travis Nelson of Portland.
"The Democratic party is the party of the future," said Nelson.
He told KGW that the energy inside the DNC was filled with excitement about the party's future with Vice President Kamala Harris running at the top of the ticket. Nelson said he and other delegates are looking forward to hearing from key Democratic speakers during the next four days.
"We've got Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden tonight. So, folks are excited and the vibe is electric," said Nelson.
He said Democrats were initially uncertain about the presidential ticket switching from President Joe Biden to VP Kamala Harris. But now, he said, his party is united behind her, especially after seeing recent polling numbers.
"We've went from Joe Biden being down 5 or 10 points to Trump to Kamala now being up 5 points in the polls," said Nelson.
He believes President Biden will be welcomed on stage with a standing ovation during his speech Monday night.
"I expect him to talk about his accomplishments and the future and how he is handing things off to Kamala," said Rep. Nelson.
"Maybe he will speak on why he decided to step down, but I'm sure he will talk all about the great accomplishments that his administration has made," added Kien Truong.
Truong is another delegate representing Oregon at the DNC. Like Representative Nelson, Truong believes Kamala Harris is qualified for the position and has seen more people jump on board in supporting the VP since President Biden's exit announcement.
"Vice President Kamala Harris — she got 99% of the vote from the delegates," Truong said. "So, that shows that the party is ready to unite behind her."
Truong hopes voters take the time to know their candidate and their campaign plan so they can make an informed decision by November.
“People decide who they vote for for multiple reasons,” said Truong. “But I really hope they do not take the right to vote for granted."
Convention events will be held at two locations in Chicago. Representative Nelson says security measures are in place both for those attending and for those who plan to protest outside of the events.