US party conventions aren’t just about that year’s elections. Sure, the biggest speeches are from the Presidential nominees, their spouses and their running mates — but plenty of others take to the podiums as well. And while the content of their remarks may be all about beating the other guys in November, a fair few will have an eye on grabbing the nomination themselves next time around. If you doubt the power of a big convention speech, just look back to Obama’s keynote address in 2004, which catapulted the then-state senator into national stardom and towards the presidency. Indeed, perhaps the most significant feature of last week’s Republican convention was that Marco Rubio put in a stronger performance than potential 2016 rivals Chris Christie and Paul Ryan.
And so, as the first Democrats take to the stage in Charlotte, North Carolina tonight, several will be hoping that it’ll be their chance to pick up Obama’s mantle:
Julian Castro. The
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