Texas Democrats announced Tuesday that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will be attending the state party’s virtual convention next month as a special guest.
The week-long convention is scheduled to begin June 1 and will see the selection of delegates to attend the Democratic National Convention in August.
“It is an honor to join Democrats from the Lone Star State and share my message of belief, hope, and opportunity during the Texas Democratic Convention,” Pelosi said in a statement. “As I’ve stated previously, Texas is ground zero for this election. The big and bold work happening at the Texas Democratic Party is why we will strengthen our House Democratic Majority, elect more Democrats across the state, and elect a Democratic President of the United States, Joe Biden, in November.”
Congressional candidates Wendy Davis and Gina Ortiz Jones, Moms Demand Action Founder Shannon Watts, and several Democratic lawmakers are also attending.
The party reportedly drew between 10,000 and 15,000 people to their two previous conventions in 2016 and 2018. Due to social distancing concerns, the convention will be hosted virtually for the first time in the party’s history. The party plans to use different online channels to broadcast delegate voting, guest speakers, and panels.
Texas Republicans, meanwhile, have not committed to hosting a virtual convention. Originally slated for May, their convention will now be held in mid-July in Houston.
Photo: Zach Gibson/Getty Images
Fernando covers Texas politics and government at the Texas Signal. Before joining the Signal, Fernando spent two years at the Houston Chronicle and previously interned at Houston’s NPR station News 88.7. He is a graduate of the University of Houston, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication, and enjoys reading, highlighting things, and arguing on social media. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93 or email at fernando@texassignal.com
