By Annie Karni
Thousands of Clinton loyalists are expecting delegate slots at the Democratic convention. Many of them are going to be very disappointed.
Locking up virtually the entire Democratic party establishment has been a boon for Hillary Clinton in her fight against Bernie Sanders. But as she closes in on the primary finish line, she’s grappling with one big downside.
It’s what one top aide referred to as “Delegate Hell.”
Thousands of high-powered Clinton loyalists across the country who have worked hard for the Democratic front-runner now expect to be chosen as “at large” delegates or PLEOs (party leaders and elected officials). And there aren’t enough available slots to accommodate them all, turning the process into a competitive game of musical chairs.
“For every person that gets to be a national delegate, there’s probably going to be 50 that are qualified and deserve to be delegates as well,” said Gary Mauro, a longtime Clinton friend and operative who is overseeing delegate selection in Texas. “We won’t make everyone happy. There just aren’t enough slots to go around.”
Across the country, campaign operatives like Mauro are currently sifting through hundreds of applications from lawmakers, activists, union bosses and state chairs who have donated to the campaign, hosted rallies, phone-banked and door-knocked — and now expect to cast historic votes for the first female presidential nominee at the Democratic National Convention that begins July 25.
But in most states, the campaign has hard choices to make. Clinton operatives said they dread the task of telling influential Democrats they will not make the cut — and they worry about alienating steadfast allies who they will need in the fall by telling them there are no floor tickets with their names on them.
“Who am I going to irritate by cutting them?” vented longtime Clinton ally Craig Smith, who is overseeing delegate selection in Florida. “The mayors all want to be delegates. Whoever it is we cut, we’re going to need them in the fall. I’m just telling everyone, I’ll do the best I can.”
Every presidential election, campaigns face the difficult task of turning down die-hard supporters who want to participate in the biggest political event of the year with an exclusive, high-status pass to the convention floor. But this year, the problem is amplified by the fact that Clinton has virtually the entire party establishment behind her.
In Florida, for instance, Clinton has the active support of more than 75 percent of Democrats in the state legislature — all of whom are now hoping for a role in Philadelphia this summer. Nearly all of the state’s Democratic congressional delegation is also backing her.
As for Bernie Sanders’ support, one of the highest-ranking Florida elected officials after Congressman Alan Grayson is a deputy mayor.
A compounding problem: the large number of women who want a role in casting a vote for Clinton.
“The real issue this year is that every woman who has been involved in fighting for women’s rights, and women holding office, wants to be there and wants to be able to vote for the first woman to be nominated,” said Mauro, who oversaw delegate selection in Texas for Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996, and for Al Gore in 2000. “That’s the biggest problem. Every woman I’ve ever known who has been an activist wants to be there.” But in Texas, Mauro is working with just 18 convention slots to fill and 19 coveted pledged elected official slots available.
The process is so competitive that Mauro has asked everyone interested to officially apply by sending him a semi-formal application — he described it as a brief, 300-word, college essay-style piece of writing that he wants submitted as an email — outlining what they have done for the campaign and why they should be selected as a delegate.
In Florida, eager Democrats are making their case to Clinton officials by selling their diversity as much as their Clinton bona fides — one woman who wants to be a delegate wrote a letter explaining that she is a retired veteran, a Latina and a lesbian, and could help fill some of the convention’s diversity goals.
In Ohio, according to one Clinton ally, “there is some vigorous lobbying going on for the few slots that are available,” including would-be delegates who are calling and emailing state party leaders to plead their case. There are only 11 slots for party leaders and elected officials in Ohio, and 18 slots for at-large delegates, which typically go to big donors or party activists who didn’t win district-level delegate spots.
“11 slots for elected officials is tiny, compared to all of her endorsements,” the Ohio-based Clinton ally said. The diversity goals of the convention make it even more difficult.
“There’s a whole lot of middle-aged white women who want to be Hillary delegates that won’t be able to,” the ally said.
The same story is playing out in states across the country.
In New York, Thomas Garry, state counsel to Clinton’s campaign, is sifting through hundreds of state leaders who want a golden ticket to the political Super Bowl — with just a handful of slots to fill.
There are 30 total spots for party leaders and elected officials, known as PLEOs, in New York. Clinton gets to fill 17 of those slots, while Sanders gets 13. Of the state’s 54 at-large delegates, 31 will go to Clinton. And of the 21 alternate delegates, Clinton gets to choose 13. The deadline for choosing delegates in New York is May 23, when the state committee will vote on the names submitted.
The selection process there has become so frenzied that the New York delegation’s hotel block in Philadelphia is not opening until May 23, so the 163 pledged delegates that were decided during the primary don’t book all of the rooms in advance.
The decisions about who gets to attend the convention as a Clinton delegate are made in part by who has worked hardest for the former secretary of state, but it’s also about filling diversity recommendations put forth by the Democratic National Committee. The goal is to show a crowd that reflects America when the television cameras pan out across the packed convention hall.
In New York, 28 percent of the entire delegation is supposed to be African-American; 20 percent Latino; eight percent Asian and Pacific Islander; eight percent LGBT; and five percent disabled Americans. One delegate must represent Native Americans and 33 percent are slated to represent “Youth,” defined as anyone under the age of 36.
Those recommendations vary from state to state, depending on demographics, but each state is required to have an equal gender balance.
“We have an awful lot of white, male elected officials or party leaders who have done a tremendous amount of work for Hillary Clinton,” said Clinton donor Jay Jacobs who is helping with New York’s delegate selection process. “But they just can’t get in as delegates.”
People who can check multiple boxes have a better shot. Jacobs said one hard-working upstate Clinton supporter who is young, Asian and gay is a shoo-in as an at-large delegate. “You can be darn sure he’s getting in,” he laughed.
Jacobs said the task is harder in Clinton’s adopted home state because of the large number of elected officials who campaigned hard for her across the state ahead of the April 19 primary.
“There are certainly a couple hundred people who have a reasonable expectation of being a delegate,” said Jacobs. “It would be a lot easier representing a less popular candidate.”
In Florida, Smith is filling 18 slots for party leaders and elected officials, as well as 30 at-large spots, from a pool of some 200 elected officials who endorsed Clinton.
Those who don’t make the cut can still attend, but they won’t be able to vote and won’t have a pass guaranteeing access to the convention floor.
“The convention is where the action is,” said Jacobs. “Anyone who’s anyone will be there. But it makes for a lot of disappointed and unhappy people.”
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