CHICAGO – Pete Buttigieg was snapping selfies in the hallway, while Cory Booker was energetically speaking from atop a table. Meanwhile, Josh Shapiro waited nearby, and Gretchen Whitmer was running late for her next engagement.

It was the second day of the Democratic National Convention, with the party’s emerging leaders hustling between hotels. The morning meet-ups for state party groups provided an ideal chance for this upcoming generation of Democratic figures to practice their speeches in front of seasoned party activists.

As the current Democratic ticket is secured, party supporters are now focusing on future possibilities. The roster of potential candidates is quite extensive, and in Chicago, the party’s leading figures were vying for an advantage.

Over breakfast, attendees enjoyed coffee, eggs, and pastries while listening to speakers like Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, and California Representative Ro Khanna.

The lessons of the past are fresh in their minds.

After the surprising defeat of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by Donald Trump eight years ago, Democrats are bracing for the possibility of holding their next competitive presidential primary as soon as 2028. Vice President Kamala Harris faces a challenging contest against Trump, which could result in her losing this November.

“This election is up for grabs. I am fully committed. However, it’s very close. One thing we learned from 2016 was that we tended to overlook some critical details and became a little too confident,” remarked Alan Rubin, a New Jersey delegate and former official from the Clinton administration.

“There’s a chance we don’t win,” said Rubin, 70, “and if that happens, we shift our focus to 2028, where all these individuals will compete.”

The party was already taken by surprise this year when President Joe Biden had a dreadful debate performance and subsequently withdrew from the 2024 race. His decision to elevate Harris, who may win and run for reelection, disrupted the career trajectories of many rising Democratic figures.

For some candidates, the prospect of the presidency may no longer be an option, while others might bide their time until 2032.

All of them are proactively evaluating their chances. Delegates from states with early primaries were especially targeted for engagement.

At a South Carolina breakfast on Tuesday, sweat dripped from Booker’s forehead as he delivered an inspiring speech. The New Jersey senator spoke fervently about a letter the vice president requested he write to a young Black woman during the Supreme Court confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

“So South Carolina, I’m going to channel the spirit of Kamala Harris on that memorable day, and I encourage everyone here to write your letters as we have just over 70 days left,” he passionately proclaimed.

Booker spoke just after Buttigieg, who was also a contender in the 2019 presidential primaries. Following him was Josh Shapiro, the Governor of Pennsylvania and recognized Democratic rising star.

Shapiro kickstarted his speech with a humorous anecdote about a previous occasion he had to follow Booker’s fervent speech at a Baptist church in Philadelphia.

“While he was passionately engaging the audience, my daughter leaned over and whispered, ‘Dad, what are you going to say?’ I replied, ‘Honey, we don’t say that word in a church,’” Shapiro recounted, earning big laughs from the crowd. “I stood up and did my best to follow him, and I can’t believe I have to face that challenge again.”

The early candidates connect with activists

The Hyatt Regency Chicago made quite an impression, as did the Westin on Michigan Ave.

Politicians focused on state delegations that hold significant voting power, especially those whose primaries often carry substantial weight. New Hampshire, Georgia, South Carolina, Nevada, and Michigan were particularly active locations.

Buttigieg, serving as Biden’s Transportation Secretary, took almost 15 minutes to engage with the New Hampshire delegation breakfast, among several events taking place at the Westin. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar visited New Hampshire later in the week, along with Moore, Khanna, Booker, Pritzker, and Shapiro.

“I hear we offer the best eggs. That’s probably the real reason,” commented New Hampshire Party Chair Ray Buckley in an interview.

In previous years, Buckley noted, it was difficult to encourage party members to attend breakfast events.

This year’s boost in interest is partly due to the nature of the delegation, with Buckley reporting that 92% of New Hampshire’s delegates were attending the convention for the first time.

There was a notable enthusiasm among both young and older delegates for breakfast speakers, helping to draw larger crowds to what can often be mundane events.

Ellie Goluboff-Schragger, a 20-year-old delegate from Philadelphia, expressed her eagerness to hear from rising Democratic leaders such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Buttigieg, and Shapiro.

“The exciting part about the upcoming generation of Democrats is the abundance of great talent – I mean, Pete Buttigieg is remarkable – there are so many incredible newcomers,” Goluboff-Schragger remarked.

The oldest delegate, 95-year-old Angie Gialloreto from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, expressed her excitement for the new faces in leadership. Regarding Shapiro, she predicted, “Soon enough, he will be president.”

Shapiro attended three breakfast events and a labor council meeting on Monday and participated in two more breakfasts on Tuesday. He shared with YSL News that he aimed to “ensure everyone is aware of what we are achieving in Pennsylvania.”

“Above all, I want them to understand how I feel about Kamala Harris and Tim Walz,” Shapiro noted, reflecting on his status as a finalist for the vice president role with Harris.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, another prominent Democrat, opted not to join the breakfast gatherings, deciding instead to focus on delivering interviews on television for the Harris campaign.

Attracting a Broader Audience

Several potential candidates took advantage of the Chicago event to engage with new audiences.

On Tuesday, Buttigieg, who is recognized as the first openly gay presidential candidate, made a quick appearance at an event with around 150 social justice advocates, many of whom were Black or members of marginalized communities.

Buttigieg participated in a 20-minute interview with Portia Allen-Kyle, director of Color Of Change, a group advocating for civil rights. During the discussion, he emphasized his focus on the “long game” in terms of policy, highlighting important legislative proposals like expanding the Child Tax Credit.

In the 2020 campaign, Buttigieg gained fame early on, sharing the top spot in Iowa and achieving second in New Hampshire but struggled to win over Black voters, leading to his withdrawal after disappointing results in South Carolina.

Black voters are crucial to the Democratic coalition, and their voices, along with other historically underrepresented groups, are becoming increasingly significant.

The Democratic party altered the sequencing of their 2024 primaries to better reflect the demographics of voters of color. South Carolina was chosen to lead off the primaries, following a request from Biden, then New Hampshire and Nevada — which has a significant Latino population — were scheduled for the same day. Georgia was also elevated in significance while Iowa was replaced by Michigan in the early primary lineup.

While the precise calendar for the upcoming presidential primary season remains undecided, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada have historically occupied prime positions.

“The demographics in our country have shifted,” stated Analilia Mejia, the co-executive director of the Center for Popular Democracy, a progressive advocacy organization.

Democratic Representative Summer Lee, marking her position as the first Black woman from Pennsylvania in the House, cautioned against neglecting the voices of other young politicians. “We also have the opportunity to discover many individuals we are not yet familiar with,” said Lee, a progressive member of the “Squad.” “A large group of Black and Brown individuals have been vital to the party, though we have not yet heard their stories.”

Moore, who is Maryland’s first Black governor, exemplifies this transformation. He had a prominent speaking role at the convention.

He led three consecutive breakfasts on Thursday, ensuring delegates from Nevada, an essential swing state, and New Hampshire, where a governor’s race is open, felt energized.

‘I’m just being me’

As they moved through Chicago to engage with delegates, who may become future supporters for their presidential bids, the candidates stated it’s simply a part of their roles.

Whitmer shared with YSL News Network that governors are meeting with different caucuses and states to “boost morale and keep everyone excited.”

“They might just need a bit of motivation from a state that shifted from red to blue,” she remarked. “I’m not certain.”

Whitmer was actively engaging with Democratic figures at various breakfast meetings held in North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, and Hawaii on Tuesday. At the event in Hawaii, she wore pink and white leis, enthusiastically visiting each person in the long line for selfies.

Booker distributed buttons to fans proudly declaring their moment with him in a photo.

One of the leading figures in the national progressive movement, Khanna, a 47-year-old congressman from Silicon Valley, attracted a lot of attention. He sponsored South Carolina’s breakfast event on Tuesday and was a featured speaker at the state’s breakfast the day before.

Throughout the convention, Khanna attended at least 14 breakfast gatherings covering key states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.

Khanna, who acted as a surrogate for Biden’s campaign, is now doing the same for Harris with upcoming stops planned in Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, as he informed YSL News.

Additionally, he mentioned, “It’s always beneficial to gain visibility outside of your district.”

Contributing: Todd Spangler