Ex-Riverhead councilwoman represents eastern Suffolk at Democratic National Convention

Former Riverhead Council Member Catherine Kent represented eastern Suffolk Democrats last week at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepted the party’s nomination for president.

Kent, of Baiting Hollow, returned to New York Friday invigorated and ready to work to elect the Democratic ticket to the White House. It was her first national party convention and she said it was an exciting, inspiring experience.

A former Democratic council member in Riverhead, Kent ran for town supervisor in 2019, losing to the Republican incumbent, and lost her bid for Suffolk County Legislature last year. She was on the New York primary election ballot in the First Congressional District as a delegate for President Joe Biden, who handily won the primary election. When Biden exited the race and quickly endorsed Harris, the delegates were free to select the candidate of their choice. Like nearly all Democratic delegates, Kent threw her support to Harris.

Ninety-nine percent of the delegates, including Kent, had already committed their support to Harris during an Aug. 5 virtual roll call vote. The virtual vote was initially called due to a ballot access deadline in the state of Ohio. It was planned before Biden announced his withdrawal from the race and held after he withdrew and endorsed the vice president.

Kent said she went to the convention “feeling very excited and hopeful” after watching Harris’ rallies in Atlanta and Philadelphia, introducing her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Philadelphia.

Kent arrived in Chicago several days early to visit with family, she said, and then attended a welcome reception with other delegates Sunday evening that “highlighted Chicago” with food and music. During the four days of the convention last week, Kent attended caucuses with other delegates, where she heard speeches from Democratic party leaders, including Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

“I enjoyed meeting the delegates from all over,” Kent said. “And I’m not shy, so I took every opportunity to talk to the delegates from all over the United States — and there were delegates who live overseas — just to talk to them about their issues and about what they go through.”

She also bumped into Democratic leaders in the halls of United Center, the arena where the convention was held, including Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey. 

The first day of the convention featured a speech by Biden, who talked about the accomplishments of his administration and the need to defeat former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, in November.

Kent said Biden made the right decision to withdraw from the race. “Prior to him stepping down, people were saying to me that he wouldn’t step down,” Kent said. “And I absolutely knew he would step down. He’s had a record of long service to our country and doing what he thinks is right for our country, and I knew that that’s what he would do.”

Kent said one of her favorite speeches came on the second day of the convention, delivered by former First Lady Michelle Obama, who told the delegates, “Hope is making a comeback.” Kent said she felt the former First Lady “empowered us,” Kent said. 

“Her message to us was: This is such a pivotal point in history and we have to get to work, and we can’t count on anything,” Kent said. “It’s a very tight election and democracy is at stake.”

The second day of the convention was also when the party held its ceremonial roll call vote. “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z blasted throughout the hall as Gov. Kathy Hochul, joined by filmmaker Spike Lee and other New York Democrats, committed 298 delegates to Harris’ nomination.

Walz, a former schoolteacher and retired 24-year veteran of the Minnesota National Guard who spent 12 years in the House of Representatives, accepted the nomination as vice president on the third day of the convention. 

“He’s very popular with all the delegates,” Kent said of Walz. “I heard him speak at the Women’s Equality meeting, and it was really exciting the night that he spoke. He just brings a great energy to the party. I think they are a perfect team together.”

The climax of the convention came on its final night with an acceptance speech from Harris. 

“People were very excited to have Kamala come out and speak. I feel that she fully delivered,” Kent said. “First she gave her background, then she really discussed her resume. And then within the context of discussing her resume, she also brought in issues that she intends to address. And then she really worked throughout the whole speech to talk about her love of our country and unity.”

While Democratic leaders spoke within the convention hall, the streets outside were occupied by protesters who urged the party to take a stronger stance against Israel’s military campaign in Palestinian territories, which has exceeded 40,000, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. The protestors accuse the Democratic Party of financing a “genocide” in Palestinian territories, as well as other transgressions, according to March on the DNC 2024, the coalition that organized the protests.

Kent said she was mostly shielded from the protests in the convention center. She said she was pleased that Harris called for a ceasefire in the conflict, and that the family of an American taken hostage during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel spoke at the convention. 

Kent said she believes that the Harris/Walz presidential ticket will help the Democratic candidate flip the First Congressional District, where Trump won solid majorities the last two presidential elections. The freshman incumbent, Republican Nick LaLota, is a Trump supporter who won the district with 55% of the vote in 2022. He faces Democrat John Avlon, a former CNN political commentator and editor-in-chief of the national news website The Daily Beast.

“Many voters — I don’t think just Democrats —  I think many voters are excited about this ticket and have great hope in the future of our country,” she said. “It’s been a very difficult eight years, since there’s been a lot of division and negativity going on.”

“I felt very excited about our country and the future of our country, and I have great hope,” she said. “Kamala is smart and hard working, and I know she expressed how much she wanted to bring unity back to our country again. And I think we all want to see that, in all walks of life.”