Wisconsin delegate Canon says convention showing Democrats are focused on the future

CHICAGO — Wisconsin delegate Deon Canon, attending his first Democratic National Convention, found himself torn Tuesday night.

While the Wisconsin delegation was donning cheeseheads in a club-like atmosphere in the United Center for the symbolic roll call to nominate the Harris-Walz ticket, Vice President Kamala Harris rallied supporters at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

Canon, 27, said he encouraged friends and family members in his hometown of Milwaukee to attend the Harris rally and was getting texts from them while he was on the floor. 

“The crowd was packed,” he said. “I was on the convention floor. At the same time, I was getting pictures from Milwaukee, and I was like, ‘Man, I want to be in Milwaukee right now.’ I was like, ‘the crowd is packed. The excitement is there.’”

Canon said he’s enjoyed his experience so far, and was moved by speeches from Michelle Obama, former President Barack Obama, and 2016 Dem candidate Hillary Clinton.

“One of the most important things I got from (Tuesday) is that the Democratic Party is very much a party right now that’s focused on the future and what we can do for Americans, rather than voting against somebody else,” he said.

Voter turnout in the Black community has been stagnant for the last few elections cycles. 

Canon, who works for U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Milwaukee, said that stems from apathy driven by an impression that people voted but nothing changed. 

Canon said while things like the child care tax credits had immediate impact, he noted many of the Biden administration’s initiatives are long-term investments, like infrastructure, that don’t show immediate results. 

He pointed to Harris’ plan to provide $6,000 tax credits to parent of newborns as something that would have an immediate impact and shows she has a plan “both for our long-term success, but also for our short-term success as well.”

As for family and friends that were unable to get into the Harris-Walz Milwaukee rally Tuesday, he told them not to worry because they’ll be back to Wisconsin: “They pretty much live there.”