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DNC 2024 Day 1 live updates: Harris makes appearance, 'forever grateful' for Biden

"Thank you, Joe" chants rang out in the room as Harris spoke.

Last Updated: August 19, 2024, 8:02 PM EDT

In a presidential campaign like no other -- and just four weeks after President Joe Biden bowed out of the race -- Democrats are gathering in Chicago this week to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris as their candidate to take on former President Donald Trump.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing:
9 hours and 4 minutes ago

Minnesota's Peggy Flanagan, Walz's possible successor, introduces Maxine Waters

Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota's lieutenant governor, introduced Rep. Maxine Waters to speak at the DNC. Waters received a standing ovation before speaking.

Flanagan is poised to serve as Minnesota's next governor if Gov. Tim Walz steps down to serve as vice president.

As a citizen of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, Flanagan would be the first Native American female governor.

PHOTO: Peggy Flanagan, Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota speaks on Day one of the Democratic National Convention  in Chicago Aug. 19, 2024.
Peggy Flanagan, Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota speaks on Day one of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago Aug. 19, 2024.
Mike Segar/Reuters
9 hours and 6 minutes ago

'The fight continues, and there is still more work to do': DNC chair

DNC Chair Jamie Harrison took the stage to tout the Democrats' work over the last four years and the goals of a Harris-Walz administration.

"The fight continues, and there is still more work to do," he said.

"I know that when we elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, they will build on our accomplishments and they will create a country that works for every American," he added.

Chair of the Democratic National Committee Jaime Harrison speaks on the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Aug. 19, 2024.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Harrison encouraged voters to be active in the coming weeks for all races down the ticket.

"In my beloved home state of South Carolina, our motto is, 'While I breathe, I hope.' Folks, I believe in the power of hope, but it's going to take more than hope to win this election," he said.

9 hours and 7 minutes ago

Crowd is amped up as convention kicks off

Delegates and other attendees here in the United Center are amped up -- and have been paying attention.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson got a rousing applause when he said his daughter will be able to see herself in Harris. And when Democratic National Committee Chair Jamie Harrison started off with one of Harris' marquee remarks, the crowd quickly finished it with him.

"When we fight…" Harrison said.

"We win!" the crowd erupted.

-ABC News' Tal Axelrod

9 hours and 8 minutes ago

3 vulnerable Senate Democrats won't be at the DNC this week

Three vulnerable Senate Democrats will sit out the DNC this week: Sens. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

A spokesperson from Rosen's campaign said she's choosing to focus on her own reelection this week and will meet with Nevada voters instead. She did, however, join Harris and Walz at a campaign event in Las Vegas earlier this month.

"Senator Rosen supports the Harris-Walz ticket and was glad to join them on the campaign trail in Las Vegas this past weekend," a spokesperson for her campaign said.

A spokesperson for the Tester campaign similarly confirmed he won't be in attendance this week.
Notably, he'll be attending a Pearl Jam concert in Montana this week, with an associated fundraiser for his campaign with the band's bassist the day before. He'll spend the rest of his August farming and meeting with voters face to face, per his campaign.

A spokesperson for Brown also confirmed he won't be in attendance at the convention. A campaign spokesperson did not respond to multiple emails asking for further information about where the senator will be this week.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin