July 22, 2024

Exactly four months ago, I announced I was running to be a Democratic convention delegate, stating: “I believe this year's election is the most important election of my lifetime. The future of democracy is on the ballot. I will be there to support President Biden's reelection. But if anything unexpected should happen causing him to withdraw his candidacy, I will be ready and able to leverage my 20 years of experience in elected office and my lifelong dedication to the Democratic Party . . . to ensure the nomination of a Democrat who will beat Donald Trump in November.“ (Steve Cohn letter to friends and supporters, March 22, 2024)

I am no prophet, but I did have an inkling in March that this year’s convention would be historically important. In the wake of President Biden’s sage decision to withdraw his candidacy and endorse Vice President Harris, I feel it’s my duty as a delegate to convey my thoughts about the Harris candidacy and what comes next leading up to the DNC Convention in Chicago, August 19-23. Many of you have texted or emailed me asking whether my pledged vote for Biden automatically transfers to Vice President Harris, whether the Convention will be open to other candidates, when will a Vice President be nominated, etc.

First and foremost, I am grateful to have a president and party leader who puts country over self, unlike the Republican nominee. Joe Biden is a true patriot who will be remembered for generations to come for his unparalleled service to his country and the outstanding achievements of his administration, such as leading the nation’s recovery from a debilitating pandemic and recession; forging consensus on bipartisan legislation to fund long overdue investments in infrastructure, climate mitigation, healthcare, and small business; restoring the nation’s leadership in the world and forging international coalitions to defend Israel and Ukraine.

Second, President Biden’s decision to stand down from the nomination means that all pledged delegates, including myself, are free to vote at the Convention for the candidates of our choice to be the Democratic nominees for President and Vice President. Mr. Biden’s endorsement carries tremendous weight but is not binding on delegates. DNC Rules will govern the process of choosing the replacement nominees. Even if there is a consensus in favor of Ms. Harris, those rules allow other candidates to throw their hat in the ring and delegates to choose freely.

Third, while I feel confident that delegates will follow these rules in an open convention, I also believe it’s important to unite the party and rally around a leader who will defeat Trump in November. Therefore, I have chosen to endorse Kamala Harris for President. Here’s why.

In announcing his decision to stand down from the nomination and endorse the Vice President, President Biden said: “my very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made.” Biden’s endorsement may not be binding, but it carries a tremendous amount of weight with me.
Kamala Harris has vast experience as a prosecutor, District Attorney, California Attorney General, US Senator, and Vice President.
She has already hit the ground running with an ongoing campaign operation and universal name ID.
She is the only Democratic candidate that voters have had the opportunity to vote for on national level.
On domestic policy, Harris is well positioned to take on Trump on abortion rights, jobs, the economy, climate change, Supreme Court appointments, and his criminal record versus her record as a prosecutor. I’m betting on Kamala Harris for the people. On foreign policy, she is a strong supporter of Israel and Ukraine.
While polling can be erratic and inconsistent, recent polls indicate that Harris would fare better than Biden and other potential Democratic candidates vs Trump, and she could increase her numbers significantly in coming weeks.
Finally, I have a personal connection to the Vice President. She and I spent a week together on a study mission in Israel in 2004, as part of a Northern California delegation when she was the San Francisco DA and I was a Sacramento City Councilmember. Even then everyone who met her could see that she was going places. Then and now, she had the perfect combination of grace and gravitas, a sense of purpose along with sense of humor and down-to-earth demeanor.

That’s Kamala second from right; I am third from right; Mayor Darrell Steinberg is on the left.

For me, the bigger unknown is who Kamala may select as her running mate. She could choose her VP any time between now and the Convention, but that person would not be official until voted on by delegates in August. The list of candidates is strong and long, including but not limited to:

Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan
Roy Cooper, Governor of North Carolina
Mark Kelly, Senator from Arizona
Josh Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania
Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky
Amy Klobuchar, Senator from Minnesota
Pete Buttigieg, Transportation Secretary

In closing, I am sad that the President’s age and health led him to withdraw his candidacy for reelection, but I am excited and energized about the prospect of Kamala Harris for President.
God bless America!
Steve Cohn

P.s. if you’d like to donate to Kamala’s campaign, just click on this link