The top Democratic candidates running for U.S. Senate in California made their case to hundreds of delegates Saturday in Sacramento, at a party convention marked by protests calling for party leaders to support a cease-fire in Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
The party’s endorsing convention in Sacramento provided a key opportunity for the candidates to rally the party faithful ahead of the March 5 primary. But the Senate hopefuls’ plans to deliver their stump speeches at an afternoon forum ran headlong into protests demanding an end to Israel’s attacks on Gaza in retaliation for the Oct. 7 massacre of Israelis by Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group. Appeals for a cease-fire have divided the party’s elected officials from many in its activist base.
At around 7 p.m., the party announced the cancellation of the remainder of Saturday’s schedule, including the meetings of the Arab American and Democrats for Israel caucuses.
In the afternoon, when Rep. Adam Schiff and Rep. Katie Porter delivered their closing remarks, they were drowned out by chants of “cease-fire now” by dozens of protesters inside the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center, many of whom waved signs supporting Rep. Barbara Lee.