“For democracy, this is the most important election,” said Gary Hawley. “I want to go and talk with my veterans friends there, get the veterans out doing doors, and everything possible to make sure Harris and Walz win — that’s why I’m going.”

At the beginning of the week, Hawley and his daughter Kim packed up their bags to head to Chicago. He is attending the 2024 Democratic National Convention as a Wisconsin delegate from Portage County and the small village of Whiting, located just outside of Stevens Point.

This isn’t his first convention.

“This is my eighth convention — probably my last. But I’m lucky that my daughter came again,” Hawley said. “She came 24 years ago with me, but she got so enthused about Vice President Harris that she asked if she could come along again. And that’s the best thing for me to have my daughter along again.”

Gary Hawley, an eight-time Wisconsin delegate to the Democratic National Convention, discusses the atmosphere of the 2024 DNC in Chicago. “Energetic — just so many great speeches last night. Every one of them just energized you and you just kept getting more and more energized,” Hawley said. (Credit: PBS Wisconsin)

Hawley had just one word to describe the DNC in Chicago.

“Energetic — just so many great speeches last night. Every one of them just energized you and you just kept getting more and more energized,” he said. “Lasted till pretty late. But then because we have to party afterwards, you know, but it was a good time.

Hawley’s first Democratic National Convention was also in Chicago – 28 years ago back in 1996.

Over the years, he’s learned to take advantage of the face time he has with politicians to explain to them what’s happening in rural Wisconsin.

“You could be walking down the hall here and talking to the governor. It gives you a better chance to get your ideas out or Portage County ideas,” said Hawley. “That’s important. If you don’t get your county party’s ideas and issues and stuff out to these elected officials, they don’t know about it.”

Gary Hawley, an eight-time delegate to the Democratic National Convention, and his daughter Kim talk at the DNC in Chicago on August 20, 2024. “This is my eighth convention — probably my last. But I’m lucky that my daughter came again,” Hawley said. (Credit: PBS Wisconsin)

But Hawley said that his job as delegate isn’t just to spread information, but to gather it and bring it home

“There’s a lot of caucuses to go to, to learn what’s going on, the new stuff,” he said. “Meeting with other Democrats, just to get all the information and bring it back to our county parties and help our county parties discuss what’s going on.

Conventions are also a place to network and get support – even from across state lines. And that’s important for Portage County, which is a Democratic island.

“We’re blue, but we need help. We’ve got to get the rest of the counties around us blue, too,” said Hawley.

“I have talked with the Minnesota Veterans Caucus. They’re willing to come over. And one of the reasons is their governor could be vice president – if we get the 10 points from Wisconsin,” he said. “So I’m starting to set up where they’re going to start coming across the border and do doors for us here.”

A Portage County Democratic Party sign displays information about a public picnic in Aug. 2024. (Credit: PBS Wisconsin)

Hawley – who’s also a veteran – says there are a few things that have stuck with him as the most important to him through the years.

“Different issues, but war, in different places. But I think that the simple things like we’re improving on women getting their rights, and we’ve got a long ways to go, but at least we’re trying to improve on it,” he said.

Beginning as a volunteer with the Portage County Democratic Party decades ago,and rising to the position of county party co-chair, Hawley – who’s a retired carpenter – said he also agrees, appreciates and relates to President Joe Biden’s decision to step out of the race.

“I’m 75. I’ve been very active, been going to a lot of conventions,” he said. “I realize I have to step down too. I mean not completely — I’ll still be out there —but I can’t keep up with the younger people running around here.”