Former Democratic presidential candidate Jason Palmer — who became known after winning the caucus in American Samoa over Joe Biden on Super Tuesday earlier this year — is at the Democratic National Convention, tasked with trying to win more Gen Z votes.
"Climate change and gun violence reduction, these are important issues for them, but even more important is their own economic well-being. Gen Z voters want to know, how am I going to get a job, how am I going to build a career? How am I going to be able to afford to buy a house?'" Palmer told Scripps News. "They believe in the American dream but they're not sure if it's available for them. And so those are the issues they care about."
RELATED STORY | Michelle Obama electrifies DNC in speech that jabs Trump
In March, Palmer received 51 votes while President Biden received 40 out of 91 ballots cast in American Samoa's caucus.
"I found out that I had won because my phone started blowing up with friends and campaign staffers texting me," Palmer said then in an interview.
RELATED STORY | Meet Jason Palmer, who beat Biden in American Samoa's Dem caucus
The 52-year-old said he had never visited the territory before the caucus. He said he campaigned remotely on Zoom town halls.
Palmer said at the DNC in Chicago this week that younger people want to see that voting matters.
RELATED STORY | ‘From VP Harris to the Walz’: Rapper Lil Jon joins DNC delegates for roll call
Palmer said a big difference he sees between the Republican campaign — with Donald Trump as the nominee and JD Vance as his running mate — and the Harris-Walz campaign, is that he believes the Democratic campaign is trying to take a more optimistic approach to encourage voters to elect them.
Palmer said multiple events have been held with Gen Z delegates, and said he feels that while the campaign has become a bit meme-heavy, the younger generation is interested in policy and getting things done.
