CHICAGO – There are around 4,700 delegates attending the Democratic National Convention this week in Chicago.
One of those delegates is younger than the rest. So young, in fact, that if the general election was held today, he wouldn’t be able to vote.
17-year-old Isaac Winkler of Minneapolis suburb Golden Valley turns 18 on November 2nd, just three days before the election, which per party rules allows him to serve as one of the state’s 92 delegates.
“So all I had to do was go through the process just like anyone else” Winkler tells me. “Starting at the local precinct caucus, going to the senate district convention, and from there being elected to the congressional district where I was elected once more to become a national delegate”.
Winkler has some political blood in his veins; his father is former Minnesota House of Representatives Majority Leader Ryan Winkler.
During Wednesday’s floor speeches at the United Center, Isaac was seated two chairs behind Minnesota governor and Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz. Isaac said it was a perfect spot to be on the day that Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear earlier in the day unofficially dubbed “Walz Wednesday”.
“It’s awesome that the future Vice President of the United States is that close”.
Isaac says he was inspired by Walz’s 2023 bill that created universal free school meals across Minnesota.
“He was a teacher, he knew that was important to him, and that’s why he solved that problem for everyone. That’s what Walz Wednesday means to me”.
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