'York for Hillary' hosts DNC send-off party

York democrats on Saturday were celebrating the run-up to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia with their own send-off party for the delegates. The convention begins Monday.

State representative Kevin Schreiber, D-York City, and alternate delegate Salomé Johnson, of Hallam, visited the York for Hillary office at 11 E. Market St. on Saturday afternoon to celebrate the start of the convention, the anticipated nomination and the campaign season that will begin in earnest when the Clinton/Kaine ticket is formally nominated.

Supporters: A banner that said "Why do we fight?" was hanging in the office. Under it were numerous responses written by various supporters of Hillary Clinton, the former U.S. secretary of state, New York senator, first lady — and soon-to-be Democratic presidential nominee.

"So all people have the right to pursue their own happiness, however that may be," Schreiber wrote on the banner.

Schreiber said he is excited to be heading to the convention Monday.

"It's history in the making," Schreiber said.

Johnson said she would head to Philadelphia on Sunday, where she would attend a church service in Philadelphia prior to the convention. She said she is an avid supporter of Clinton. Johnson, who moved to York County in 2003, said she previously lived in New York City.

"(Clinton) did an incredible job representing the state of New York," she said.

Volunteer captain Benjamin Rodriguez, of York City, said he had been going out on behalf of the office and trying to get people to register to vote. Over the course of the week, he said, he registered 65 new Democrats.

Rodriguez said he supports Clinton because he believes she stands for uniting the country.

Election: The send-off party comes on the heels of the Republican National Convention, where Republican candidate businessman Donald Trump formally accepted the Republican nomination for president.

Johnson said that she trusted Clinton and was not happy with what Trump was presenting his campaign.

"I might leave the country if she doesn't win," she said.

She said as a woman of color, she doesn't feel safe given what Trump is promoting — misogyny, racism and white supremacy.

"That made me pretty angry," she said.

Additionally, the event landed on the day Clinton formally announced Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her running mate.

Lois Garnett, volunteer team leader for York for Hillary, agreed with Clinton's choice of Kaine.

"He was a good choice," she said. "He brings a lot of experience."

The Democratic National Convention kicks of Monday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia and will continue through Thursday.

— Reach Christopher Dornblaser at cdornblaser@yorkdispatch.com or on Twitter at @YDDornblaser.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.