CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The political spotlight will shift to Philadelphia this week for the Democratic National Convention where former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to clinch the nomination for President.
“We’re very excited and we’re ready to be united,” said Belinda Biafore, chair of the West Virginia Democratic Party ahead of the convention which kicks off Monday and runs through Thursday at the Wells Fargo Center.
Biafore is part of the 37-member delegation representing the Mountain State. U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va), Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, Secretary of State Natalie Tennant, Treasurer John Perdue and state Senate Minority Leader Jeff Kessler (D-Marshall, 02) are among the delegates traveling to Philadelphia.
“I think that the difference you’re going to see in the Democratic Convention, as to what we’ve seen this week, is some substance. I mean, a real plan,” Biafore said in comparison to last week’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio where businessman Donald Trump accepted the GOP nomination for President.
Clinton’s previous statements about putting a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of work has remained on the minds of many West Virginians, but Biafore said Clinton has stepped up since then to offer a plan to help struggling families.
“She said I’m here with a plan to find out what we can do — whether it’s through coal mining, whether it’s through re-training these people, but we are going to help them and we are going to find a job for them,” Biafore said. “She said that when she came to visit. She saw first hand the people that were suffering.”
At this week’s DNC, Biafore said their delegation is hoping speakers will address the future of the nation’s economy, the recent police shootings and goals regarding higher education.
“With any other year, it’s jobs,” she said. “We’ve got to get these people back to work. It’s a big concern.”
First Lady Michelle Obama will speak Monday. President Barack Obama will give his speech Wednesday.
“I’m hoping to hear their plan to help the new administration that’s coming in and they’re still pretty young. I don’t think they’re going away any time soon,” Biafore said.
The theme of the 2016 DNC is “Stronger Together.”
The featured speakers, themes and gavel times for the week are as follows:
Monday: “United Together”
First Lady Michelle Obama, U.S. Senator (D-Vt) Bernie Sanders and DREAMer Astrid Silva
3 p.m.
Tuesday: “A Lifetime of Fighting for Children and Families”
Former President Bill Clinton and Mothers of the Movement
4 p.m.
Wednesday: “Working Together”
President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden
4:30 p.m.
Thursday: “Stronger Together”
Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton
4:30 p.m.
Biafore said their delegates range in age from 19-82.
“I think that’s interesting. We’re able to learn what the younger Democrats have to say and maybe they can learn from the more experienced folks that have been around for a while,” she said.
A list of West Virginia’s 37 delegates can be found here.