With Hillary Clinton’s Nomination, The Democratic Party Breaks Down Another Barrier

It’s official: A majority of delegates at the Democratic National Convention have formally nominated Hillary Clinton to be their nominee, making Clinton the first female to top a major political party’s presidential ticket in the United States.

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Bernie Sanders capped off the exciting moment by going to the convention floor and moving to nominate Clinton:

Clinton’s historic nomination is a moment in U.S. history that should transcend politics and be celebrated by all Americans. It also marks another historic barrier kicked down by the Democratic Party.

Of course, we remember the recent history made by the nomination and election of Barack Obama in 2008 (and again in 2012), but the Democratic Party’s habit of history-making goes back decades.

In 1928, Democrats nominated Al Smith, the first Catholic candidate to lead a major party presidential ticket. Smith lost in a landslide to Herbert Hoover, but just over 30 years later, Democrat John F. Kennedy became the first Catholic president in U.S. history.

Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman to ever run on a major party ticket when Democratic candidate Walter Mondale chose her as his running mate in 1984. Mondale and Ferraro were soundly defeated by President Ronald Reagan.

In 2000, Al Gore chose Joe Lieberman as his running mate, making him the first Jewish vice presidential nominee of a major political party.

Sure, some of these historic nominees lost their races – in a couple cases, they lost badly – but they made history nonetheless and laid the groundwork for what has become a historic decade in presidential politics, particularly for the Democratic Party.

Hillary Clinton’s official nomination in Philadelphia on Tuesday is further evidence of that. And, in November, she may very well shatter the “highest, hardest glass ceiling” of all by becoming the 45th President of the United States.

Sean Colarossi

Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.