The 2024 Democratic National Convention, or DNC, is shaping up to be one of the most consequential presidential political conventions in U.S. history. The last time the convention was held in Chicago in 1968, it came after John F. Kennedy’s assassination. President Lyndon B. Johnson withdrew his reelection campaign, and protestors speaking out about the Vietnam War faced police brutality. This year’s convention, from August 19 to August 22, also in Chicago, comes after President Joe Biden ended his bid for reelection and as the Democratic Party works to reunite itself.

Michigan State University experts are available to provide expertise and commentary on topics and news before, during and after the convention — from the process of Democrats nominating a new candidate and vice president to convention history to possible protests that could arise.

Chicago’s DNC Convention history

Jordan Cash is an assistant professor of political theory and constitutional democracy in James Madison College. He can comment on presidential and Supreme Court topics. Specifically, Cash can discuss the history of presidential tickets and their success, including past presidential conventions.
Contact: cashjor1@msu.edu

“The 2024 presidential election is already one of the most unique and historic elections in American history, yet there are also many striking and almost eerie parallels with the 1968 presidential election. A Republican nominee seeking a political comeback after losing a presidential election (Richard Nixon in 1968, now Donald Trump). A Kennedy running for office (Robert Kennedy in 1968, and his son, Robert Kennedy Jr. in 2024). Assassination attempts on a candidate (successfully in the case of Kennedy in 1968, unsuccessfully in the case of Trump). A president stepping down and declining to run for reelection (Lyndon Johnson in 1968, now Joe Biden). A Democratic vice president winning the nomination of their party without winning a single primary (Hubert Humphrey in 1968, now Kamala Harris). A Democratic National Convention in Chicago with a party badly split over issues of foreign policy (back then it was the Vietnam War, now it is the war in Gaza). And, most recently, a Minnesotan on the Democratic ticket with Harris’ announcement of Gov. Tim Walz as her running-mate (in 1968, the Minnesotan Humphrey was at the top of the ticket). If Harris wishes to avoid the raucous, and ultimately violent convention that Democrats experienced and avoid Humphrey’s fate as a presidential loser, she will need to find ways to quickly overcome these challenges.”

Nura Sediqe is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science in the College of Social Science and a core faculty member in the Muslim Studies Program. She is an expert in political behavior, race and ethnic politics, Black politics, and gender and politics. Sediqe can comment on the history of protest at the convention and Arab American and Muslim sentiment regarding the Harris campaign.
Contact: sediqenu@msu.edu

“This election is historic given the positionality of Kamala Harris as potentially the first woman president. Vice President Harris is also positioned to be potentially the first Black woman and first Indian American to become president. Harris’ potential nomination occurring at the DNC’s convention is situated in the backdrop of the DNC’s history in Chicago. In 1968, the DNC was particularly tumultuous, given citizens’ roles protesting the Vietnam War and targeted police violence against Black communities. This links the rising concerns that citizens may bring to Chicago, with the recent death of Sonya Massey at the hands of police in Illinois and the Democrats pushing for pro-peace solutions to the current conflict in Gaza.”

Read more from Sediqe on MSUToday.

Harris as the new Democratic nominee

Corwin Smidt is an associate professor of American politics and research methods in the Department of Political Science in the College of Social Science. He can comment on national elections and polling for the presidential election. Regarding the convention, Smidt can discuss the political effect of the convention on the presidential race.
Contact: smidtc@msu.edu

“Conventions rarely change the outcome of the presidential election, but this year’s DNC is a little more important. Kamala Harris has to attend to both her supporters as well those undecided and swing voters. She has secured the backing of her party and Democratic-leaning voters, who are enthusiastic about her ability to unite the party and provide a strong contrast to the Republicans. But that relationship is still fragile since this nomination was secured quickly with no official public competition. The vice president and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will need to reassure them that their newfound optimism is warranted during the convention. And Harris has to do that in a way that positively introduces herself to swing voters, who are likely unfamiliar with her as a candidate on her own.”

Eric Juenke is an associate professor of American politics in the Department of Political Science in the College of Social Science and a faculty member in the Chicano/Latino Studies program. He can comment on issues relating to minority candidates, including the historic nature of a Harris nomination.
Contact via media contact: harr1565@msu.edu 

“While it is clear that many voters have racial and gender biases that will affect how they feel about Harris, how they think about her policy priorities and how 'electable' they think she is, our research has shown that while these are real and difficult barriers that Black women candidates face, they do not, on average, hinder their success with voters in partisan elections. Other research suggests that people in both parties are excited to support racially and ethnically diverse candidates if they are on their political ‘team.’ Harris has energized Democratic voters in a way that we have not seen all year during this campaign. Voters told pollsters repeatedly this cycle that they did not like either of the parties’ candidates, so a new face on the ballot has put some excitement back into the race for Democratic voters and some independents based on recent polling and donations data. We will see if this holds or changes based on the next month of news.”

Read more from Juenke and his research on MSUToday.

Matt Grossmann is the director of MSU’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research and a professor of political science. He is an expert on a broad range of topics surrounding the 2024 election, including political parties, campaigns and elections. Grossmann can comment on the process of the convention and implications of the convention.
Contact: grossm63@msu.edu

“The votes are still to be counted, but Kamala Harris has secured the Democratic nomination in record time. No one is challenging her and almost everyone is endorsing her, including the delegates who will be the voters. Officially, the nomination is open, and anyone can step forward to challenge her and earn delegate support. But unofficially, she is the new Democratic nominee for president.”

Protests and security

David Carter is a professor in the School of Criminal Justice in the College of Social Science. He is the director of the Intelligence Program, and his expertise includes policing issues, violent crime control, law enforcement intelligence and counterterrorism. Carter can comment on issues of safety and security at the convention.
Contact: carterd@msu.edu

“Security at the convention is important for the safety of the delegates, the candidates, attendees and community members. In a volatile political environment, one has to assume that threats will occur on a continuum ranging from simply causing chaos and disorder to posing threats of personal injury. Developing the security plan is challenging because it must be sufficiently restrictive to afford safety and protection while at the same time not impinging on First Amendment-protected activities. Law enforcement executives know and understand that balance. They also know their security procedures will draw criticism no matter how much protection is afforded in a constitutional manner. Criticism has simply become part of the social equation.”

Steven Chermak is a professor in the School of Criminal Justice in the College of Social Science. He is an expert on terrorism, mass shootings and media coverage of crime and criminal justice. Chermak can comment on media coverage of possible protests at the convention.
Contact: chermak@msu.edu

“It is important to state first that media coverage will depend on the nature of the protests that occur:  the number, type, intensity and if any conflicts arise around them will drive the importance of a media protest angle. For example, if there is violence or protestors are arrested, the amount and type of coverage will likely increase in importance. In general, however, it is likely that if there is any level of protest, regardless of the intensity, then it would generate at least some amount of media coverage. In terms of the nature of coverage, the media  is likely to present the coverage without context. Protest coverage in the media is generally negative, as protestors are likely to be portrayed as deviant, and the issues they are protesting about are only given minimal attention.”