Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Given repeated calls for President Joe Biden to step down from office, to the chaos that ensued during Saturday's shooting at a Trump rally in Butler Pa., there is no question the American public continues to stand witness to one of the more turbulent Presidential election cycles the country has faced in quite some time - and it's only July.
Buffalo Common Councilman Mitch Nowakowski is keeping the increasing political divide in mind, as he will soon be travelling to Illinois for the Democratic National Convention in late August as a "Biden delegate". Before that, he will take part in a vote to nominate the incumbent Biden to be the Democratic Party's endorsed choice for presidency.
"I think it's really important after this weekend to see that we're really, really living in polarizing and dangerous times and if we can respectfully disagree without it getting so volatile and violent," Nowakowski told WBEN on Tuesday.
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"What happened this weekend was absolutely unacceptable. I know the tensions are high after this weekend and political participation moving forward, but I'm preparing to do my delegate duty, what I was elected to do earlier in this spring in the Presidential primaries: To end up doing our duty in nominating the President for re-election."
And despite going to the Convention, it's worth noting that Nowakowski, alongside 4,500-plus other delegates, are supposed to be voting for Biden prior to the Convention. The Democratic National Committee announced in May that President Biden would be nominated via a "virtual roll call" after Ohio election officials threatened to keep him off the ballot if he wasn't chosen by Aug. 7, which is before the convention starts.
"I'm not a fan of the virtual," Nowakowski said. "We've moved past COVID. I would really rather be in-person with fellow delegates to be able to cast my ballot. I was told that a few other states, [per] their rules, are making this happen, that we have to vote virtually. I'm not pleased with it, but I have to adapt and vote no matter what."
Other local delegates include Erie County Legislature Chairwoman April Baskin and County Executive Mark Poloncarz, who recently shared with WBEN he continues to be a staunch supporter of Biden in this Presidential election, including Erie County Democratic Chairman Jeremy Zellner.
Since the last Presidential debate, a debate that many local Democratic leaders tell WBEN was not a good night for the incumbent, there have been a number of reports that suggest the Biden campaign has been calling the delegates, gauging support on whether or not to still endorse Biden.
Nowakowski says he has received no such correspondence.
"I know the chairman has been involved with the state party, and we did hear from a local representative from the campaign that just basically informationally told us what we can expect in the convention," Nowakowski said.
When asked if he thinks Trump's display of strength at the rally will sway some undecided voters, Nowakowski notes a lot can change in a short amount of time when it comes to the public deciding a candidate.
"I'm always leery of an October surprise that we see in campaigns," he said. "From September until November is a lifetime, and a multitude of things can happen. The world can change and other issues can arise, and I think we all need to buckle in and be able to express ourselves at the ballot box, and vote for who we believe will move this country forward."