Democratic National Convention: Mile High mania

Democrats from around the nation converged in Denver this week for a highly-anticipated convention to nominate Illinois Sen. Barack Obama as their presidential candidate, and some of those were from close to home.

Four delegates to the convention — two pledged to nominee Barack Obama, and two for Hillary Clinton — come from the 46th Congressional District, which includes Huntington Beach.

Councilwoman Jill Hardy, one of the delegates, called the convention educational and exciting.

Hardy, a Marina High School teacher, said she became a delegate not merely to cast a vote, but to learn something as well.

“When I teach this to my students, I’d like to see how the process works from up close,” she said. “I’d like to see how this works from going through it.”

Hardy said that while she sometimes struggled to get seats in the convention center, the energy in the area was palpable.

“It’s all very exciting: meeting people from all over, the speeches, seeing so many celebrities,” Hardy said. “I took a book to the convention because I thought there would be more time waiting around, but I haven’t had to open it once.”

Other delegates listed by the Orange County Democratic Party as coming from Huntington Beach were Taylor Honrath, Lisa Romines and Avygail Sanchez.

Outside of the convention center, others from Huntington Beach came for different reasons. Huntington Beach Mayor Debbie Cook spent the week making contacts and raising money for her congressional campaign to unseat U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher.

Cook said Tuesday she was so busy she hadn’t even watched the convention yet.

“I’m trying to raise money for the campaign, getting out and meeting people and seeing democracy in action,” she said. “I’ve been too busy to watch it on television. I’ve been too busy going to receptions and meeting people.”

Cook spoke briefly to the California Nurses Assn. about her support for universal single-payer health care, after they named her a “Health Care Hero” and supported her candidacy.

She also went to a wind farming reception, met the National Women’s Political Caucus and went to a New Democratic Network event, among other meetings.

But Democrats aren’t the only ones from nearby who came for the show, Cook said.

“I met Mike Schroeder in the lobby at the hotel,” Cook said. “He’s the guy that sued me.”

Orange County Republican lawyer Mike Schroeder unsuccessfully sued Cook early this year on behalf of a client who argued Cook shouldn’t be allowed to call herself “Mayor of Huntington Beach” on the ballot.

Efforts to reach Schroeder were unsuccessful.

MICHAEL ALEXANDER may be reached at (714) 966-4618 or at michael.alexander@latimes.com.