Two Clallam County Democrats will help nominate Barack Obama this week at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C.
Sylvia Hancock of Sequim and Joe McGimpsey of Neah Bay are among the 120 delegates from Washington — including two from Jefferson County — who will nominate the president to a second term.
Both are eager to witness Obama’s acceptance speech Thursday night.
“This is my first chance to go as a delegate,” said Hancock, one of four woman selected from a field of more than 100 at the 6th Congressional District Caucus in May.
“I’m very excited about it.”
She added: “Tacoma kind of dominates [the 6th District, which includes the North Olympic Peninsula].
“It’s very rare for someone from Clallam County to go.”
It is also unusual in Jefferson County, said Teri Nomura, Jefferson’s county’s Democratic Party chairwoman after the news was announced that Eli Waite, 32, an unemployed economic analyst, and Emilia Navazio, 23, a college student, would serve respectively as a delegate and alternate to the convention.
“Lori Macklin went as a delegate in 2008,” Nomura said, “but before that, the last person from Jefferson County to go as a delegate was back in the 1960s.”
Hancock, 73, attended John F. Kennedy’s presidential inauguration speech in January 1961 after working on the campaign as a staffer for U.S. Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson, then-chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
“I’ve been a Democrat ever since,” she said.
McGimpsey, 58, also was elected at the 6th Congressional Caucus in Bremerton. He was one of 33 men on the caucus ballot.
“Only three are going,” McGimpsey said.
“I was fortunate to be one of the three.”
McGimpsey, a Makah tribal member, returns to the political limelight 20 years after his appearance as a delegate at the 1992 Democratic National Convention in New York City.
“It goes on from sun-up to sunset,” McGimpsey said of the delegate’s whirlwind schedule.
“There are quite a few venues that you need to choose to attend. There are hundreds of them. There are diverse, different political groups and organizations vying for your attention.”
The activity began on Sunday with a welcome gathering for the nearly 6,000 delegates nationwide.
Hancock said the Washington delegates are staying at the same hotel.
“It will be a good opportunity for me to network with them and figure out how we can work hard in Washington state to re-elect President Obama,” said Hancock, who founded Clallam County for Obama in 2008 and remains active as a precinct committee officer and a trustee of the county Democratic Party.
“There will be many interesting speakers, group meetings and committee meetings. I just want to take full advantage of that.”
In addition to Clinton’s keynote address, McGimpsey said he is looking forward to Obama’s acceptance speech and listening to the president “state his continued goals and objectives, because he has continuously had to fight an obstructionist Republican Party.”
“From day one when [Obama] got elected, they vowed publicly that he will be a one-term president,” McGimpsey said.
“I’m looking forward to being counted and to emphasize all the awesome things he has done in the last four years.”
Although the Democratic National Convention will lack “the drama of not knowing who the nominee is going to be,” Hancock said it will be “an amazing opportunity” to meet Democrats and share experiences.
McGimpsey noted that the list of Washington delegates includes 10 Native Americans.
“That’s the most I’ve ever heard of,” he said.
“To see 10 Native American Indians is fantastic.
“It’s jut wonderful for Indian Country.”
McGimpsey is the son of a full-blooded Makah mother and full-blooded Irish father.
“I really believe in the spiritual teachings of my ancestors,” said McGimpsey, who got his start in politics as a union representative while employed at the Clallam Bay Corrections Center.
He is currently a school resource officer in the Cape Flattery School District.
“The students are awesome,” said McGimpsey, who will share his experiences about the convention for a history class.
Hancock moved to Sequim with her late husband, William “Bill” Hancock in 1994.
“He was an ardent Democrat, too,” she said.
Hancock said she was endorsed in her bid to be a delegate by state Reps. Kevin Van De Wege and Steve Tharinger — both of the 24th Legislative District, which includes Clallam and Jefferson counties and part of Grays Harbor County — Clallam County Commissioner Mike Doherty and recently-retired House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler.
“I feel honored being elected as a delegate,” she said.
“All the people here worked so hard for the Clallam County for Obama group.
“I’m there for all of us.”
McGimpsey agreed.
“There are lots of Democrats in the county that work really hard to get Democrats elected,” he said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.