Last Saturday, the biggest names fighting for the 2020 Democratic Nomination took to the stage of the Southern New Hampshire University Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire at the New Hampshire Democratic Party Convention. Thousands of people waited in line to gain entry to the venue. The room was filled with impassioned supporters and each of the candidates they believed could become the next President of the United States.
Speaking first, Joe Biden referred to the 2020 election as “a battle for the soul of this nation,” a comment that gained generous applause from his supporters in the audience. He continued by making his policies clear, commenting on the state of affairs, and imploring his audience to “lead by power of example, as [they] always have.”
Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana spoke passionately of unifying the American people, making change, and how the people are “capable of extraordinary things.” He made sure to connect with the crowd and explain how as President, he would be focused on making changes in regards to the biggest issues the country is facing now.
Senator Cory Booker began his speech in the press room by explaining the pitfall of the last election: low voter turnout. When asked how he planned to get college age voters to the polls, he responded “We have an urgency that young people get, and [their] activism is incredible; I think we have a candidate that can resonate with that spirit, that youth, and that energy, and I believe that we are going to be incredibly fine with young Americans.”
Lightening the mood with her speech, Kamala Harris spoke on President Trump’s tweeting habits, but was also able to speak on the strength of the American people, and how there is “more in common than what separates us.” She reiterated her intentions to fight a good fight, and in the end hopefully emerge a winner.
Beto O’Rourke of El Paso, Texas, began his speech speaking of his love for the state of New Hampshire. He was also able to relay a message of changing the culture of the 2016 election, and focusing on progress in all aspects of the issues the American people are facing today.
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont garnered a roaring amount of applause as he took to the stage on Saturday. His popularity among young voters shows in the polls. As a candidate who pushes for student loan forgiveness, a $15 minimum wage and as he said, “a government and economy that works for all of us.” After his speech, audience support was so loud that many minutes went by before the crowd quieted down and he was able to exit the stage.
The welcome Elizabeth Warren received as she entered the arena on Saturday was deafening, and showed how passionate her supporters were about her. Her goal was to connect with the people, and working for all Americans, not just “the one percent.”
Lower polling candidates such as Tom Steyer, Julian Castro, and Mayor Pete Buttigieg explained how they were not worried, or were not paying attention to polls, as they believed over time numbers would shift as they have in the past.
With such an important election on the horizon, each candidate took the opportunity to reiterate their policies, connect with the American people, and hopefully make a lasting impression. With New Hampshire’s dubious history as a swing state, it is no doubt they will be in the area again, on the long and treacherous road to the Presidency, fighting for what they believe to be best.