Delegate Has High Hopes for DuPage Democrats

Moises Garcia, 28, isn’t one to sit still when it comes to politics. The DuPage County Democrat is going to his party's national convention in North Carolina, and he proudly talks of knocking on doors and getting signatures.

However, garnering support for the Democratic Party can be a challenge in DuPage County, which has not been all that blue in Illinois.

"When you’re walking in DuPage County, you have to expect that you’re going to get frustrated from time to time," Garcia said. "I mean, I’ve had some doors slammed in my face, you know, and some civil debates, we’ll say."

That said, Garcia said he has seen events for young DuPage Democrats grow in the few years he’s been involved.

"You’ll be surprised at how many doors you knock on and people are, ‘Oh, man. There’s Democrats here?’ ‘Yeah, there’s a lot of us. You’re not the only one,"' he said.

Garcia works as a coordinator at a water softener assembly plant in the northwest suburbs.

He said his parents inspired him to spend so much time on politics. Garcia’s dad immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico in the early 70s and Garcia worries about the kids of other immigrants who would qualify for paths to citizenship if Congress ever passes the DREAM Act.

"A lot of the DREAMers out here had no choice on when they came and I’m afraid in the current political climate, especially if you see Romney and Ryan win this election, that they will not be awarded the same opportunities that my father had," he said.

Garcia said a lot of his dinner table conversations growing up revolved around unions. His dad was a member of the United Steelworkers, and  when he sees labor losing ground in Illinois and other states, like Wisconsin, it motivates him to get involved.

"My dad always told me, ‘It’s easy to complain about something. But if you’re going to complain, you better get out there and do something about it.’ So that’s what I decided to do," he said.

Garcia said he’s happy to cheer Barack Obama on at the convention, but to him all politics is local. He’s already working on DuPage County races, even down to the contests for Forest Preserve commissioners.