From the Strip to the DNC: Lil Jon, DJ Cassidy bring Vegas vibes to roll call

CHICAGO — Convention roll call votes can be staid and cheesy, but Democrats turned theirs into the ultimate dance party on Tuesday.

DJ Cassidy, fresh off of a summer residency on the Las Vegas Strip, stood onstage in what appeared to be a double-breasted satin suit of royal blue, spinning a special song for each state and territory awarding their delegates to Vice President Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention. What America got was a mashup of an elite karaoke night: Detroit native Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” for Michigan, Dropkick Murphys’ “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” for Massachusetts and Tupac Shakur’s “California Love” for California.

Georgia brought out one of its natives in person: Lil Jon striding through Chicago’s United Center to the beats of “Turn Down for What,” his song with DJ Snake. Born and raised in Atlanta, Lil Jon has long considered Las Vegas his second home and has regularly appeared at Golden Knights games and Strip nightclubs.

In short, Democrats were determined to put the party in political party, part of their broader effort to project joy and positive energy even as they issue dire warnings about the need to beat Republican nominee Donald Trump.

The party last used a video roll call during the pandemic -restricted 2020 convention that famously had Rhode Island featuring its state dish, calamari, creating the pressure to do something bigger this year. (The chef holding that iconic tray of calamari later turned out to be a Trump supporter.)

This year’s roll call vote featured the party’s emerging political stars like Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. Movie director Spike Lee was there for New York, while the actor Sean Astin, who starred in the Notre Dame-set football movie “Rudy,” was with the Indiana delegation.

The musical choices were something of a risk. The 1996 Democratic convention in Chicago infamously featured delegates gyrating awkwardly to “Macarena (Bayside Boys Remix)” by the Spanish pop duo Los del Río. Video of the Macarena still circulates among political diehards nearly three decades later.

Florida’s delegation played Tom Petty’s anthem to hard-headedness, “I Won’t Back Down,” in casting its delegates for Harris — a not-too-subtle jab at the state’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Petty was born in the Florida city of Gainesville. DeSantis used the song as the theme of his failed Republican presidential primary this cycle, and it was part of the name of a super PAC that spent lavishly in his losing cause.

“Florida is worth fighting for,” state Democratic chairwoman Nikki Fried declared, arguing that her state is worth national Democrats campaigning for despite it moving hard to the right and likely to go for Trump in November.

Alabama, obviously, got “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Alaska announced their backing of Vice President Kamala Harris to “Feel It Still” by Portugal. The Man, a band from Wasilla, where Republican Sarah Palin was once mayor.

Minnesota went with “1999” by Paisley Park’s own Prince. Indiana, with Astin by the microphone, went with Gary native Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough.” Nevada played “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers, the synth pop band from Las Vegas. Kansas went with “Carry On My Wayward Son” by the rock band Kansas. New Jersey went with Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA.”

“Under one groove nothing can stop us now,” DJ Cassidy said over Springsteen’s anthem.

Despite the festive mood, the roll call announcements did contain some serious moments. Texas’ Kate Cox had her request for an abortion during a troubled pregnancy rejected by that state’s supreme court, forcing her to go to another state for the procedure. But Cox announced on the floor that she was again pregnant and the baby was due in January.

Under Democratic Party rules, only Harris garnered enough signatures to be entered into nomination. Votes for any other person or uncommitted votes were tallied as “present” during the virtual roll call earlier this month. Tuesday night’s “celebratory” vote is following that earlier roll call’s vote total.