With the the 2024 Democratic National Convention getting underway Monday in Chicago, at least one Ohio legislator in attendance said Ohio is still a swing state.
Rep. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) said he believes this is true despite Donald Trump’s overwhelming victories in 2016 and 2020.
“There is no doubt in my mind that [if] you get a solid candidate, you get people understanding the importance of moving forward and not going back, you get a set of candidates who really care truly about Americans and not about their own advancement, and you will get people coming out and voting for them”, Miller said.
Miller is a delegate at the DNC. He said Chicago is buzzing with energy this week.
"I think the atmosphere would have been good for President Biden, but it's just electric now, here in Chicago for this new ticket," said Miller.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will officially accept their party’s nomination for president and vice president on the Democratic ticket at the convention.
It comes just a month after President Joe Biden ended his re-election bid.
"I think the last time we saw such an impressive act was George Washington when he stepped away from power and said, it's to the next, the next generation," Miller told Ideastream Public Media.
Miller explained his schedule for the week, consisting of meetings during the day before heading to the convention floor in the evenings.
"We have caucus meetings throughout the week that we will be going to a different area of Chicago to meet,” said Miller. “Of course, you have various caucus meetings within our own caucus here. And then we go to the floor and hear the different speakers each night of the week."
Looking ahead to the November election, Miller said he understands why some political strategists have counted Ohio’s 17 electoral votes for Republicans, but he said, a surprise may be in store.
“We are a state with the largest amount of unaffiliated independents, and which direction are they going to go?” asked Miller. “I believe they're going to come back. I think Ohio's going to surprise.”
Miller is one of 144 members of Ohio's delegation at the 2024 DNC.
