This past Sunday, more than 7,250 Democrats gathered in Detroit for the Michigan Democratic Party’s 2026 Endorsement Convention. It was the largest convention our state party has ever hosted, with record turnout and palpable enthusiasm. On Saturday night, we also hosted our 2026 Legacy Dinner honoring Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, which was the party’s most-successful fundraising event in history.
There’s lots to be proud of from this weekend, as well as challenges and lessons to be learned.
Previous conventions have experienced delays in credentialing, which is the must-do first step for arriving delegates. This year, we substantially changed this process, including opening registration earlier on Saturday, expanding staff/volunteer capacity and using a larger space.
These changes helped immensely, and on Saturday, we credentialed 2,365 members, which is more people than attended the Michigan Republican Party’s entire convention. We ultimately credentialed more than 7,250 members, an astonishing number.
On Sunday, we did experience a technical issue that caused some members to not receive their voting information. We identified the issue around midday, and worked quickly to resolve it. We asked members who hadn’t received their voting information electronically to return to credentialing for troubleshooting, moved additional staff/volunteer capacity to support and ultimately had tablets available to vote on for those who didn’t receive voting information via text and email.
There were delays in voting, and I apologize to every member for the inconveniences.
Unity must define Democrats heading into a high-stakes November
I’ll be the first to admit that conventions aren’t ideal for selecting candidates. They’re a relic of a bygone era where a few hundred elites would gather in smoke-filled rooms to hand-pick nominees. I think primaries would be a much better option for selecting candidates, but as long as conventions remain required by the Michigan Constitution, we’re committed to making them accessible to as many people as possible.
Ultimately, we had an incredibly powerful weekend, with prominent speakers on Saturday and a buzzing energy on Sunday as candidates mingled with convention-goers. On the convention floor, some of the most impactful moments were the loud cheers and enthusiasm shown to various different candidates by their supporters. Unfortunately, there were moments spoiled by a few people showing a lack of decorum and civility to fellow members and candidates.
This behavior is unacceptable, as every member of our party has the right to participate fully without fear of harassment. While free speech and peaceful protest are key tenets of our nation and the Democratic Party, shouting down speakers and being disrespectful, even if you passionately disagree with them, does nothing to help the candidates you support, and violates their right to be heard by all. We’ve reminded all members of MDP’s code of conduct, and our standard of maintaining a respectful environment.
At these conventions, my job as party chair is to facilitate an impartial endorsement process. I’m grateful to each of the candidates who ran for office. I’ve congratulated those who won and thanked those who came up short. Together, we’re committed to bringing our party together as one team, and remaining laser-focused on winning. While we still have a primary election in August for other statewide offices, the goal is always for our Democratic nominees to ultimately be successful in November.
Remember what matters, not GOP attacks
We’ve always been a wide and diverse coalition, coming together to make life better for working families. It’s that spirit that has delivered us momentous statewide victories before, and we must continue to channel it this year.
But let me also be clear: The Democratic Party rejects antisemitism, Islamaphobia, and all forms of hate and bigotry. Full stop. Hatred has never had a place in our coalition, and we’re committed to addressing it wherever we see it.
Over the past few days, I’ve had constructive and productive conversations with candidates and members across our coalition. In the coming weeks, we will continue having this dialogue, and ensuring that our party remains welcoming for all.
Republicans ― and a certain independent ― want to see us divided. They want the Democratic coalition to be fractured and racked by infighting. The stakes have never been higher, and we have no margin for error this November. We’ve seen historic Democratic turnout, not only at our convention, but in special elections here in Michigan and across the country. But we can’t take our feet off the gas, we must continue to push forward all the way until November.
At the end of the day, Republicans’ harmful agenda is hurting Michigan families. We, as a Democratic Party, must be relentlessly focused on lowering costs, making life better and protecting fundamental rights and freedoms. With our endorsed candidates from this weekend, and our Democratic nominees that voters elect in August, I know that we can win this November and deliver impactful change for working people.
I’m grateful to be chair of the Michigan Democratic Party and thankful to every member who showed up this weekend. Together, we as Democrats will continue to do big things, and gear up to win this November.
Curtis Hertel is chair of the Michigan Democratic Party. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters, and we may publish it in print or online.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: MI Dem chair: GOP wants us divided, but our convention unified | Opinion
Reporting by Curtis Hertel, Op-ed contributor / Detroit Free Press
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