Northeastern Wisconsin Democrats say they are 'all in' on Kamala Harris as their presidential nominee

Christy Welch turned off airplane mode and the notifications flooded her phone, as they did for many Americans on Sunday: President Joe Biden had dropped out of the race. He was no longer a candidate she could vote for as a DNC delegate from De Pere, not that she minded.

"It's a good move," said Welch, who also chairs the Democratic Party of Brown County and is running for the 88th Assembly District . "I'm glad the party listened to the feedback they were getting."

There was no question in her mind who she would vote for in Chicago. "Oh, absolutely [Harris] has got my vote."

Where it took weeks for President Biden to bow out of the presidential race, northeastern Wisconsin Democrats fell behind Vice President Kamala Harris as their nominee within mere hours. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich quickly endorsed Harris on Monday.

"Vice President Kamala Harris is a tenacious leader who has vigorously defended our democracy, fought to protect the freedoms we hold dear, and worked tirelessly to do the right thing and deliver for us," the governor said in a Monday morning statement.

The wave of support across the state and the nation comes ahead of Harris' arrival Tuesday in the battleground state, her first trip as a candidate to Milwaukee .

Once the shock of Sunday's one-two news punch wore off, three common perspectives emerged from delegates to next month's Democratic National Convention and Democratic leadership from Brown and Outagamie counties. Here is how some of them reacted.

Democrats describe Biden doing a 'selfless' act of service

Biden was reported to have balked at the idea of dropping out of the race for weeks following his widely criticized debate performance against former President Donald Trump. But early Sunday afternoon, he announced the end of his campaign .

The announcement broke a calm Sunday for most Democrats in Brown and Outagamie counties. Amaad Rivera-Wagner, a DNC delegate from Green Bay and candidate for the 90th Assembly District, just finished hosting a human rights campaign event at his home. He described people in "shock and awe" as the people shouted the news and notifications pinged. "My phone didn't stop ringing for hours," Rivera said.

"He could've chosen to do anything. It seems to me Biden's putting the American people first and foremost, and it's a decision that feels selfless," said Rivera-Wagner, who's also the chief of staff for Mayor Genrich.

It's a historic choice for the president to make, as no predecessor has dropped out this late into their campaign and so close to the Democratic nomination. Millions of voters have already cast votes for Biden in their states' primaries, and Republicans expressed their intentions to challenge Harris' nomination in court . But nearly all of Wisconsin's 95 delegates announced their intention to vote for Harris in August's convention, as of Monday afternoon.

"Folks will come around if they felt this was a betrayal," Welch said. "We need to be able to defeat Trump. There's just too much at risk."

Anxieties around a high-stakes election

Brown and Outagamie County Democrats used different words to mean the same thing to describe the political climate: "strange times," "critical moment," "existential election."

Biden's seemingly never-ending flubs and fumbles up until the end of his campaign made many Democrats uneasy given who ultimately led the Democratic ticket would have to meet the moment — a divided nation and Donald Trump.

"We know that another Trump presidency would do real harm to so many of our neighbors, family, and friends," said Emily Tseffos and Kelly Fenton, chair and vice-chair of the Democratic Party of Outagamie County, in an email.

In Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District that includes Brown and Outagamie counties, all three Republican candidates jockeyed to position themselves alongside Trump on issues such as border security, the economy, and education in their first debate on Friday . The last time a Democrat won the seat was in 2008. That was the same year Brown and Outagamie counties last voted for a Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama.

Some in the political world wonder if Harris' policy stances and background can assemble the coalition of voters that delivered Obama victories across the country — and in Brown and Outagamie counties — during his first presidential campaign.

Enthusiasm about Harris where energy has been lacking

After the first wave of notifications that Biden was dropping out, Rivera-Wagner said, there was a second wave from delegates, family, and friends: "We're behind Harris."

Since Biden's endorsement of Harris, Welch claims that there's been a noticeable uptick in people coming to the Democratic Party offices in Brown County.

While Harris is not the only name being thrown around for the Democratic nomination, many view her as the most viable candidate to face Trump. In an area where "Save America" signs, "Trump 2024" flags, even "Ultra MAGA" flags visibly outnumber Biden lawn signs, area Democrats welcome Harris' injection of energy where Biden was widely regarded as lacking.

In Welch's eyes, Biden's decision to drop out, "couldn't have come too much later."

Whether Biden's unprecedented gamble turns votes out for Harris and Democrats down the ballot remains a job that Welch, Rivera, Tseffos, and Fenton are trying to capitalize on with just over 100 days until Election Day.

"We are excited to get out there and make the case that she will make a great president," said Tseffos and Fenton.

They're counting on the energy Harris' moment brings to get them there.

Jesse Lin is a reporter covering Green Bay and politics in northeastern Wisconsin. Contact him at jlin@gannett.com or call 920-431-8247 .

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Northeastern Wisconsin Democrats say they are 'all in' on Kamala Harris as their presidential nominee