Locals find ‘energy’ and ‘hope’ at their national conventions

WARREN — The Democratic and Republican national conventions in August and July, respectively, officially ushered in the political season leading to the U.S. general elections. Politically involved Warren and Macomb County residents who attended the conventions brought back strategies to help the community.

 

At the DNC

Warren City Councilwomen Angela Rogensues and Melody Magee were delegates at the Democratic National Convention at Chicago’s United Center Aug. 19-22. They represented Warren and nominated Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as candidates for president and vice president of the United States.

“It (the energy) was electric. There was incredible momentum and enthusiasm around the Harris-Walz ticket,” Rogensues said.  “It was fantastic to see our governor speaking in a primetime slot and Michigan was really on display there.”

“I thought it was pretty incredible that the two delegates from Warren were both women and one was a woman of color, given the top of the ticket,” Rogensues said.

Harris is the daughter of a Jamaican father and Southeast Asian Indian mother.

“The strength that Kamala Harris showed as a woman in interviewing for the highest seat in this country,” Rogensues said as to what stood out most to her at the convention. “I think she demonstrated in her speech an unwavering conviction to protect the country, her record of service, and really honing in on her strength as the leader of the free world. I left feeling that this is someone that could absolutely lead the country. She displayed a tremendous amount of strength.”

Magee was excited about representing Michigan and the parties coming together to support the Democratic nominee.

“To sit there with your state was exciting, Magee said. “The number of people who really wanted to support, that is something I’ve never seen before. You had Republicans and Democrats come together along with Independents. Even Oprah Winfrey got up and said, ‘I’m not a Republican. I’m not a Democrat. I am an Independent and I’m here in support of Kamala as president.’”

Magee said Harris’ education and experience makes her very qualified to be the next president. Harris is a former prosecutor, California attorney general and U.S. senator, and currently serves as the vice president under President Joe Biden.

Each of the states, the U.S. territories represented, and the District of Columbia were introduced in the roll call by DJ Cassidy with music that was reflective of that state before giving their votes to nominate Harris for president and Walz for vice president.

The Michigan contingency including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, elected officials, delegates and various celebrities gathered around anticipating what song would represent the state, according to Magee. The group initially thought it would be a Motown tribute, but the music so intertwined with Detroit was already used for another state.

Just before the music played, “We guessed it,” said Magee.

Michigan was introduced by Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.”

“That was really exciting for Michiganders but specifically for Melody and (me) because we obviously live in Warren and represent Warren and that is his (Eminem’s) home.” Marshall Mathers, who later became the globally famous rapper, producer and actor Eminem, grew up in Warren.

In addition to the speeches in the convention hall, there were a host of seminars, workshops and sharing of information among the states.

“They had workshops that brought together the local municipals and talked about the concerns within each community and how to fix them,” Magee said. “I learned about different grants that help cities, ways to bring finances into the city, and policies to make changes to help people economically within the city and state.

“How we can help with the voting process, register voters, register young voters, how to talk to young people about the importance of being registered to vote and voting,” Magee said.

 

At the RNC

Ronald Singer, a Republican candidate for the Michigan House of Representatives District 13, was a delegate from Warren at the Republican National Convention July 15-18, at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

“It was unlike anything you’ve ever experienced,” Singer said. “What happens is, you’ve never seen so many people, so friendly, who just all know that we’re all on the same team.

“If there was a picnic table there made for let’s say six people and there were already eight people sitting there, and you walked up with your dinner and said, ‘Hey can I fit here,’ and she said, ‘Well, heck yes.’”

Singer said the days were long, ending some nights around 1 a.m. after leaving the convention center and taking the charter buses back to the hotel about 80 miles away. There were workshops and events, which Singer described as too many to do all of them.

“It was really a lot more fun than you would have ever imagined,” Singer said.

Precinct delegate Benjamin Joseph of St. Clair Shores spoke at the RNC. According to Joseph, the Trump public relations team reached out to him because they were looking for “an everyday American to bring in, whether it was a small business owner or someone with a big family.” Joseph owns a home improvement business, is married, and is the father of six children ages 1-11.

“It was just a very humbling experience. I didn’t feel like I belonged there,” Joseph said. “There is Charlie Kirk there, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Glenn Youngkin, all these high-powered people are there speaking. Yet, there was not a single person there that treated me any different than they treated any of those other people. They made me feel welcomed.”

Everyone was put in the same room in the speakers lounge, where they worked on their speeches together and had makeup applied, said Joseph.

Joseph described a shift in the Republican Party.

“The Republican Party under Trump’s leadership is not a party of the elite but a part of the people,” Joseph said.  “Which was shown by having three times as many everyday Americans speaking at the convention over previous years.”

“Trump himself insisted they have everyday Americans come in. He wanted, when people were watching the RNC, to be hearing about the struggles and different things they are going through right now,” Joseph said.

The energy of the Republican National Convention was described as electrifying by Joseph.

“Sometimes more than others. But overall, it was very positive, very hopeful, very energetic,” he said.

“And there is a lot of trusting that God is going to bring our country back to where it needs to be,” Joseph said.

He elaborated on what he meant by back where the country needs to be.

“Closer to God and not further away. We need to get away from worrying about the DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) kind of stuff, and doing things based on people’s skin color,” Joseph said. “As opposed to what Martin Luther King said, ‘based on the quality of their character not the color of their skin.’ And the last three years we have moved toward doing things based on people’s skin color instead of just people being people and treating them the way they should. That has been prolific in the country for the last three years.”

 

All politics are local

Rogensues, Magee and Joseph emphasized local elections matter because they make an important difference.

“We (local politicians) are the closest to constituents,” Rogensues said. “They have my cell number. They call me about local, state and federal issues.”

Some of the delegates encouraged voting and engaging in the democratic process.

For those looking to get involved in politics, there are local Democratic and Republican groups.

If one would like to serve in a more nonpartisan way, the Warren City Clerk’s office needs poll workers on Election Day. Call (586) 574-4557 for more information.

Register to vote at michigan.gov/sos/elections/voting/register-to-vote.