Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson expects role in Chicago DNC, though unclear if it's in primetime

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson will be part of a "baton handoff" with another mayor during this week's Democratic National Convention in Chicago, he told the Journal Sentinel Monday.

"It's not like a superhero origin story or anything like that. It's not like Bruce Wayne was 10 when he went down Crime Alley — it's not anything like that," said Johnson, an ardent Batman fan and fast-rising Democrat. "I've described it sort of like a relay with another mayor from another city and then me and then passing it off to other people."

His part is Wednesday evening, he said, though he was not sure whether it would take place on the stage during the primetime event.

The DNC runs through Thursday in Illinois, though Wisconsin will figure prominently into the event. Vice President Kamala Harris, who will formally accept the nomination to run for president at the DNC, is holding a rally at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

Johnson's inclusion in the DNC would mark one more way Milwaukee and the key swing state will play a role in the every-four-years presidential nominating convention.

"I think it says a lot about Milwaukee and about the fact that Democrats don't take the votes of Milwaukee for granted," he said. "And I think it says a lot about the state of Wisconsin, too, to feature the mayor of the largest city in a very consequential, must-win state at the DNC."

Democratic National Convention spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

It's also an important moment for Johnson, who has quickly risen through the ranks in Milwaukee politics since he secured his first seat in public office on the city's 15-member Common Council in 2016. He became acting mayor in late 2021 and was elected mayor in 2022. He easily won a second term earlier this year.

Alison Dirr can be reached at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee mayor says he'll have DNC role, unclear if in primetime