By Saumya Rastogi
BU News Service
Kamala Harris highlighted the high stakes of the upcoming election Friday night in a video message at the Eleanor Roosevelt Virtual Gala. The event, hosted by the New Hampshire Democratic Party, featured words from Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, and other prominent Democratic Party members.
“We’re in the midst of a deadly pandemic and economic crisis, a climate crisis, and a reckoning on racial injustice, and we have a president who refuses to do his job, who stokes chaos and division,” Harris said.
A common theme ran through the speeches of delegates, which has been reflected in the Presidential debate as well as the Townhall that took place, of affordable health care, racial justice, Roe v. Wade, Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett and tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.
The annual event, which honors Democrats for serving the country and New Hampshire, was hosted on Zoom this year and attended by more than 200 participants from across the state.
The New Hampshire Democratic party’s chair, Raymond Buckley, began the celebrations and said, “This year, maybe more than ever before, what we do today will directly change the future of our state and our country.”
The message was clear, “Democrats up and down the ticket could make a difference this November.” The event was a way to mobilize the voters and urge them to vote.
The Biden-Harris campaign’s resounding success echoed throughout the gala as speakers and awardees cheered for the blue wave to take over all across the ballot.
“Chris Sununu wants to hold the record for the most vetoes in the history of New Hampshire by any Governor,” said Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts state, who had joined the Zoom event in support for his New Hampshire delegates and friends.
“I can’t wait until next year with our Senate Majority to enact bold and progressive legislation, working with our new Governor Dan to pass paid family medical leave,” he siad.
A video of former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt played as participants cheered on the glory of her activism and advocacy of women’s rights. It talked about her agenda to bring women’s issues in the forefront and women to be a part of institutions of the government. It was of particular significance because most awardees that evening were women, and the video appealed to the audience to vote for more women representatives that the Democratic party had nominated.
State Sen. Jon Morgan received the Emerging Leaders award for his commitment to reducing firearm suicides and mass shootings by implementing gun laws. His family who had previously been touched by suicide like many families, motivated him to “take on the national gun lobby.” Morgan said.
Kathy Sullivan, a long-time volunteer for the Democratic party, was honored for her years of service to the party and the granite state. She presented the award in her name to Mindi Messmer, who was awarded the Kathy Sullivan Courage and Leadership Award to ensure safe and clean drinking water in New Hampshire and address PFAS contamination.
State Rep. Remmy Cushing was honored with the Franklin D. Roosevelt Award. He is the chair of the New Hampshire House of Criminal Justice and Public Safety committee.
State Rep. Mary Jane Wallner, also the chair of the New Hampshire Finance committee, won the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for her 40 years of social and economic justice work.
