Top Democrats Convene At Statewide Convention

High-ranking California Democrats like Governor Jerry Brown, State Attorney General Kamala Harris, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi took the stage Saturday at the L.A. Convention Center to energize the party before midterm elections at the California Democrats State Convention.

The last time the convention was held in L.A. was 2010. Democrats went on to capture control of every top state office that year, including governor and attorney general, said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Nancy Pelosi focused on women's issues, bringing up Obama's passing of the Lilly Ledbetter Act to start off her talk. She echoed the phrase from President Obama's State of the Union, "When women succeed, America succeeds." She also called on Congress to overturn Citizens United with a resounding applause from the audience.

Kamala Harris' talk focused on civil rights, addressing issues like gay marriage, California's Dream Act, and the recent gutting of the Voting Rights Act.

Jerry Brown emphasized California's implementation of the Affordable Care Act. He also addressed prison realignment, education, and the recent drought. On the issue of climate change, however, Brown met stiff opposition from a very vocal audience who screamed, "No fracking!"

The convention ended Sunday without endorsements for the controller and secretary of state races. No candidate in those races was able to garner the necessary 60 percent of votes required for the nod.

The full list of party endorsements can be found here.