Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

listen live donate
listen live donate
listen live
donate
  • News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
    Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
  • Podcasts & Shows
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
    Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
  • State Government
  •  

No Biden, No Warren As California Democrats Gather For Second State Party Convention Of 2019

  •  Ben Adler 
Friday, November 15, 2019 | Sacramento, CA
Ben Adler / CapRadio

Riverside County delegate Lisa Andres was disappointed Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren declined to attend this weekend's California Democratic Convention.

Ben Adler / CapRadio

Supporters of the presidential hopefuls are packing the halls of the California Democratic Party convention that starts Friday in Long Beach, just three-and-a-half months before the Super Tuesday primary in March.

A dozen candidates will address the 5,000 delegates and guests Saturday. But two of the frontrunners, former Vice President Joe Biden and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, won’t be among them.

“I hope it was really worth it to skip it for them,” said Riverside County delegate Lisa Andres. “I am disappointed. I was supporting Warren. I don’t know if that’ll change. But I guess we’ll see how the forum goes.”

Andres said she’s hoping to hear the candidates talk about how they’ll achieve health care for all, though she’s open to either single-payer or universal coverage through the existing system. She also wants them to talk about housing affordability and homelessness.

Warren, who drew some of the loudest cheers at the spring California Democratic Party convention in San Francisco, will be in Iowa. Biden, who did not attend the spring convention either, held a campaign stop and fundraiser in Los Angeles Thursday but plans to spend the weekend in Washington state and Nevada.

The other two frontrunners, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, are on the speaker list. So is California Sen. Kamala Harris, who’s seen her poll numbers drop in her home state as well as nationally.

Other notable candidates making appearances include Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Cory Booker of New Jersey, tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang, former Housing Secretary Julian Castro, and another Californian, billionaire hedge fund manager Tom Steyer.

Instead of addressing the convention crowd with speeches, as they did in the spring, those eight candidates will be questioned one-on-one for 15 minutes each on a forum televised nationally by Univision.

Four other candidates did not qualify for the forum but will address the general session Saturday morning: Author Marianne Williamson, former Reps. John Delaney of Maryland and Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania, and a brand-new entrant to the race, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.

State lawmakers voted to move the primary up from June to March in hopes of garnering more attention from the candidates. Despite the big-name absences, state party chair Rusty Hicks said California is getting a boost.

“When you get multiple candidates for president going to the Central Valley or to the Inland Empire or to San Diego, or places outside of the Bay Area, outside of Los Angeles,” Hicks said. “I think that’s a great benefit.”

Meanwhile, Hicks said he supports a proposal to allow immigrants living in California illegally to become state party delegates. It’ll come up for a vote next spring.


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    More about Election 2020

  • Election 2020: Latest Results And Updates

    See all of CapRadio's coverage of the 2020 Election, including our guide to voting, explainers for all 12 statewide ballot measures and fact-checks on election misinformation.

    Related Stories

  • Scott Rodd / Capital Public Radio

    What Issues Matter This Election? We Spoke To California Democratic Party Delegates In Long Beach — And Residents Outside The State Convention Bubble.

    Monday, November 18, 2019
    CapRadio went to the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach to learn what delegates wanted to hear from candidates — and how that compares to the needs of Californians outside the convention bubble.
  • Chris Carlson / AP Photo

    California Democrats Hold Party Convention Attracting Presidential Candidates

    Monday, November 18, 2019
    California Democrats convened in Long Beach over the weekend. Presidential candidates were the intended stars and this should have been their show. But, House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff was there, too. CapRadio’s Ben Adler has a recap.
  • Chris Carlson / AP Photo

    Sanders Stars With Biden, Warren Absent At California Democratic Forum

    Saturday, November 16, 2019
    The decisions by Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren to skip this weekend's California Democratic Party Convention less than three months before voting begins gave rival candidates an opportunity to make inroads with the party’s most devoted activists.

 Election 2020

Ben Adler

Director of Programming and Audience Development

Director of Programming and Audience Development Ben Adler first became a public radio listener in the car on his way to preschool — though not necessarily by choice.  Read Full Bio 

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More State Government Stories

AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File

Thieves drain millions off CalFresh and CalWORKs recipients’ cards, families wait and taxpayers pay

January 31, 2023

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

California announces plan to convert 3 office buildings in downtown Sacramento into housing

January 31, 2023

Ariana Drehsler / CalMatters

California reparations task force zeroes in on who’d be eligible for compensation

January 30, 2023

Most Viewed

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    •  
      (916) 278-8900
    •  
      (877) 480-5900
    •  Contact / Feedback
    •  Submit a News Tip
  • About

    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Stations & Coverage Map
    • Careers & Internships
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile Apps
    • Smart Speakers
    • Podcasts & Shows
    • On-Air Schedules
    • Daily Playlist
    • Signal Status
  • Connect

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen Live

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2023, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.