Democratic Arizona delegates say switch to Harris-Walz ticket brought new energy to party, election

CHICAGO — Bob Walling and Darrell Parrish Bakeman were selected as Democratic Arizona delegates long before Joe Biden announced he would not seek reelection for president in late July.

The announcement a month ago, which led to a Democratic ticket of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for the Nov. 5 election, renewed energy for both delegates, who are nearing 80 years old.

“It did change my excitement level,” Walling, of Surprise, told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Tuesday. “The change just added a whole major level of excitement with a younger presidential candidate you don’t have to feel questionable about in terms of health.”

Walling is 79 years old, two years younger than Biden and a year older than the Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump.

He considers himself a Biden supporter but believes the last-minute switch to Harris as the presidential candidates was in the party’s best interest.

“Whatever the forces were that got him to decide to step down and pass it on to Kamala, I’m thankful for that because I think we have a better chance now,” Walling said.

Bakeman, from Tucson, is two years younger than Walling and said her renewed excitement comes from how smoothly Harris became the party’s presidential choice.

“She was offered the nomination and everybody embraced it,” Bakeman said. “There was no battling, fighting and all we did was say, ‘yes, let’s make this happen and move forward.’

“When she started talking, she made us feel like we were all in this together and that gave us like the best feeling of participation and being a part of something big and it has encouraged all of us. We’re all really excited.”

First Democratic National Convention for Arizona delegates

Walling and Bakeman were among the 85 Arizona delegates to ceremoniously appear and provide their support for Harris and the Democratic Party.

It’s both of their first times in person at the event.

Bakeman is from Chicago, but has spent the last 25 years in Tucson. Walling grew up in Ransom, Illinois, a small town about 90 miles southwest of Chicago.

Walling remembers the first nationally-televised Democratic National Convention in 1952, more than 70 years ago.

“I was very excited to be elected as a delegate,” Walling said. “I’ve been to Chicago before but not for a reason like this, which is my first convention in person.”

Bakeman considers her first in-person convention to be good timing. Bakeman, who is Black, wants to witness the country accept its first non-white, female president.

“It’s even better because everyone else feels like I feel,” Bakeman said. “Even though I happen to be African-American, my brothers and sisters who are not feel the same way.

“That makes me feel good because we’re all feeling good. If it was just the Black people feeling good or the women feeling good, it wouldn’t be as good. But everybody feels good.”

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