The Massachusetts Democratic Party voted last Thursday to advance a proposal from Congressman Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) to update the party's charter to make veterans eligible to be named so-called add-on delegates for the state's Democratic conventions.
The proposal was a controversial one, since those spots are intended for people from marginalized communities. Usually, that has included people from underrepresented ethnic and racial groups, as well as people from the disability and LGBTQ+ communities.
Rep. Moulton spoke with GBH's All Things Considered guest host Craig LeMoult about the proposal. This transcript has been lightly edited.
LeMoult: So, first of all, can you explain to us what these add-on delegates are? Why are these positions important and what role do the delegates play in the party?
Moulton: So the whole point of having add-on delegates is to ensure that our party is truly representative of the diversity in the state. In fact, they only come into play if the elected delegates do not fairly represent different groups, whether it be Black residents or LGBTQ+ residents, or now, if this gets approved at the fall convention veterans. So if the population of delegates does not equal the population of veterans in the state as a percentage, then these add-on delegates will come into play to ensure that veterans are fairly represented in our party.
LeMoult: Why did you think it was important to expand the eligibility for add-on delegates to include veterans?
Moulton: I think most people know that veterans are politically engaged when they get back. They want to be a part of ensuring our country's future. And yet many of them are marginalized. Veterans are disproportionately homeless. Veterans are disproportionately suffering from mental health illnesses. Veterans are disproportionately struggling to just reintegrate into society when they come home from these life changing experiences overseas. That means they have views that are important to be represented in our political discourse, and we want those views to be heard at the ground level in our state convention.
LeMoult: I know there's been some support for the idea, including Governor Maura Healey tweeted in favor of this. But others in the party, especially progressives, say these parts are specifically intended to help diversify the group of delegates. And they say they're supposed to go to people who have been subject to structural barriers to participation, and that veterans just don't fall into that category. How do you respond to that criticism of this idea?
Moulton: Diversity is increasing among veterans, especially those coming out of their service today. Veterans are a more diverse group than the general population, which could help the party be more representative and more diverse. The chairman of the party supports it, the governor supports it, and the president of the NAACP, Tanisha Sullivan, right here in Massachusetts, she supports it as well. There are obviously still some anti-veteran progressive activists in our party. The important news is that they were roundly defeated last night. And I think the vast majority of residents in Massachusetts know that they want the views of veterans to be represented in our party, in our politics and in our nation.
LeMoult: Is this, in part, an effort to try to make the Democratic Party more appealing to veterans? A lot of veterans may tend to vote Republican.
Moulton: Well, that's absolutely right. And if you look at what the Democratic Party is doing across the nation right now, we are the ones who are standing up for our Constitution, prosecuting the offenders of January 6. We're the ones who are ensuring that our Department of Defense gets the funding that it needs. We're the ones fighting against Tommy Tuberville, this crazy senator from Alabama who's holding up every nomination of general officers in our entire Defense Department, so that the Marine Corps today doesn't even have a common bond approved for the first time in over 150 years. So Democrats really are standing up for veterans, but we want to make sure we get that message out and veterans feel welcome in our party. That's why it's so important that we pass this measure here in Massachusetts.
LeMoult: Your proposal about the add-on delegates is not a done deal yet, right? What happens next? How is this going to be decided before the convention on September 23rd?
Moulton: That's right. So last night it was advanced by the charter amendment subcommittee. That means this can go before the entire convention for a vote. My team and I have been making calls around the state to state party delegates, and we've found them about seven-to-one in favor. So obviously, we're hoping to win over everybody and have a resounding victory to send this message loud and clear to veterans that they're welcome in our party. But we still have work to do and it's still some time before the convention.
