Local delegate attends virtual DNC

A Fairdealing woman is excited about being a delegate to the National Democratic Convention, even if she is attending virtually because of COVID-19.

Mary Jenks earned her seat on the DNC executive board as president of the National Federation of Democratic Women.

The 2020 Democratic National Convention is being held this week, Aug. 17–20, with limited attendance at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

This is the first convention Jenks has attended, as well as her first time to be a delegate.

“This is a little different, but necessary. We don’t want anyone to get sick or die,” she said.

She’s keeping busy attending virtual rural caucus meetings with delegates from various states, including Missouri, Oklahoma and Ohio.

In one of the meetings, the group addressed solutions for rural issues, like broadband for the Native American tribes, as well as the rest of rural America.

Jenks understands rural broadband issues, since she “lives in a really, really rural area.”

Jenks said, “I was very impressed with the first night. I think it went great.”

She liked the speeches about “we the people; we the people are America,” she said,

She encourages others to “watch it. Enjoy it. Think about the future of America. Do your civic duty and get out and vote.”

Jenks worked her way up in the National Federation of Democratic Women’s organization, which she calls a grass roots organization of the Democratic party.

She was a homemaker for a number of years, when she and her husband, Perry, ran a weather observation station in Harrison, Ark.

Perry worked for U.S. Soil Conservation and they lived in a variety of locations before retiring. They built their home in the Fairdealing area.

The theme of Tuesday’s program was “Leadership Matters.”

Among those listed as speakers are Charles Schumer, Senate Minority Leader; Caroline Kennedy, former U.S. Ambassador, daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy; and Jack Schlossberg, President Kennedy’s grandson.

Also scheduled to make remarks will be 39th President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter and 42nd President Bill Clinton.

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Editor’s note: For each presidential election, the Daily American Republic gathers reports from both Democrat and Republican delegates from the area as part of local coverage of the national race.