Who's co-chairing the Democratic convention in Chicago? DNC names leader for each night
CHICAGO — The nation's highest-ranking Native American female officeholder is among the nightly co-chairs of this week's Democratic National Convention Committee, the DNC announced exclusively to Paste BN on Sunday.
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, will take the gavel on the opening night of the convention Monday. Flanagan would become Minnesota's first female governor and first Native American governor if Kamala Harris and running-mate Tim Walz, the current governor of Minnesota, win the November election.
Mitch Landrieu, former New Orleans mayor and a Biden-Walz campaign co-chair, will serve as convention co-chair on Tuesday night, followed by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., on Wednesday night and Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, on Thursday night.
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The DNC said the individuals selected as the convention's nightly co-chairs show "the breadth and diversity" of the Democratic bench at all levels of government. The co-chairs will share gavel responsibilities, deliver remarks and introduce speakers throughout each evening.
Landrieu worked as a senior advisor in the White House under President Joe Biden to oversee the implementation of the infrastructure spending following passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021.
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Booker, the former mayor of Newark, is serving in his second term as Senate and is a close ally of Harris. Escobar, also a Harris-Walz campaign co-chair, leads the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee.
“I’m proud and honored to gavel in the Democratic National Convention with our four incredible co-chairs,” DNC chairman Chair Jaime Harrison said in a statement. “Their dedication to service, boundless optimism, and passion for progress is emblematic of our Party’s values and our message to the American people."
Reach Joey Garrison on X, formerly Twitter, @joeygarrison.