Source: Politics<\/p>\n
CHICAGO \u2014 The last time Netroots Nation held its convention here, seven of eight Democratic candidates for president spoke. That year included blockbuster draws like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.<\/p>\n
It was a who\u2019s-who, head-turning affair that helped put the annual conference of progressive activists on the map. Lefty darlings Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez energized the Netroots groupies at subsequent confabs.<\/p>\n
But times have changed. President Joe Biden isn\u2019t attending this year, nor are any of the congressional superstars who graced the stage in the past. The opening day headliner was Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former school teacher and union organizer. He\u2019s a rising progressive star \u2014 but most attendees had never even heard of him before he won a contentious mayoral election in April.<\/p>\n
The 30 Netroots Nation attendees POLITICO talked to say they aren\u2019t motivated to see namey names on stage \u2014 though a few, admittedly, are self-described \u201cfangirls\u201d of AOC.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone is pivoting to more local because that\u2019s how you make the biggest impact,\u201d said Jess Moore Matthews of Backbone Digital Leaders. \u201cI think it\u2019s a move away from the influencer politician.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not like there are nobodies on stage: Reps. Greg Casar of Texas, Maxwell Alejandro of Florida, Summer Lee of Pennsylvania and Pramila Jayapal of Washington are all big names from the left.<\/p>\n
Attendees said their focus is on broader issues related to organizing voters. The convention, which has drawn more than 2,900 attendees \u2014 its second highest attendance ever \u2014 runs through Saturday.<\/p>\n
Ruby Powell-Dennis of Tennessee was even more blunt. \u201cLook, Black women are not looking to Bernie Sanders from Vermont or AOC from New York. This is a movement, and movements don\u2019t need saviors,\u201d she said after hearing Johnson speak on Thursday.<\/p>\n
When Netroots started almost two decades ago, it was trying to build credibility, so names mattered, said Markos Moulitsas, who started the progressive Daily Kos blog and helped with spin off the Netroots Nation conference. Now, the group is less focused on blogging and more on organizing.<\/p>\n
Initially, \u201cthere was a lot of fear and distrust about our efforts,\u201d Moulitsas said Friday in between radio interviews from the conference. \u201cSome thought that we\u2019d somehow push the party too far to the left. So getting people like [former Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid to show up was validating to the movement and a signal to the broader party establishment that we weren\u2019t dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n