Mississippi teen may be youngest Democratic delegate
Susanna Blount, to turn 18 just before the general election, might be undecided about her plans after high school, but she knows who is getting her vote for president. She’s on Team #Imwithher — the "her" being Hillary Clinton. As one of the youngest, if not the youngest, Democratic delegates in the nation, Blount will have the chance to chant the hashtag that’s evolved into a battle cry for Clinton supporters, from the floor at the party’s convention in Philadelphia.
Politicking is familiar territory for the St. Andrew's Episcopal school senior. The daughter of State Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson, she made her first imprint on Mississippi’s political landscape as a fresh-faced adolescent with braces pictured on her dad's campaign site. But her interest in politics runs deeper than her bloodline.
“Beyond supporting my dad, the first time I really had my own political opinions, and was for someone, was when Hillary ran in 2008. I was excited about the prospect of the first woman president,” she said.
SEE ALSO: Mississippi GOP lists delegates to national convention
When Clinton stumped in Canton, Blount was in the crowd. She had the opportunity to meet the then-New York senator.
“I still have the picture,” she smiled.
Clinton lost, but the spark from the encounter stayed with Blount.
And when Clinton formally launched her White House bid in April 2015, Blount decided to run as a delegate, after learning that individuals who will turn 18 by the general election are eligible as candidates.
At the state convention, she was up against 96 others for four female-at-large delegate slots.
Rickey Cole, outgoing chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party, said he watched Blount work the room like a pro.
“You have to work hard. You have to talk to everyone that’s a voter. You have to have that appeal. Susanna's got the charisma people immediately warm up to and identify with,” he said. “People were delighted to see a young person creating such interest. I know a lot of the people who voted for her will be watching for her on television.”
Cole said four years ago the Mississippi Democratic Party had the eldest national delegate — Eldena Johnson of Terry, then 97— during the party’s convention in Phoenix. He's hoping Blount will be recognized at the convention as the party's youngest delegate.
Her birthday in late October puts her in the running.
In late June, the Associated Press reported that the Maine Democratic Party said it had the youngest Democratic delegate, Trevor Doiron ,17. But his birthday in late July precedes Blount's. Michigan Democratic delegate Ethan Petzold, 18, and Jace Laquerre, 17, a Republican delegate from Vermont, are among the other teenage delegates.
While Blount’s age makes her an outlier in comparison to seasoned party delegates such as U.S. Rep Bennie Thompson and Attorney General Jim Hood, she posited that her youth is a benefit that demonstrates the party's forward-looking stance.
Ouida Meruvia, communications director for the Mississippi Democratic Party, told The Clarion-Ledger that of the party’s 41 delegates, four are considered within the millennial age range.
RELATED: Bill Clinton encourages students to vote
According to the Pew Research Center, millennials and Baby Boomers are now equal in their share of the American electorate, with both generations comprising 31 percent of the voting-eligible population. While The Atlantic referenced the new alignment as a “watershed moment” for the nation’s electorate, there’s skepticism about to what extent voters under the age of 30 will wield their power at the ballot box.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, of adults ages 18 to 24, only 41.2 percent voted in the 2012 election.
With this in mind, part of Blount’s focus at the convention will be discussing with other young delegates how to motivate their peers to become more politically active.
Among Clinton’s selling points for Blount are her stances on gun control and her “New College Compact” plan aimed at making higher education more affordable by eliminating the need for student loans at public universities.
RELATED: Mississippians owe $11B in student loans
On Thursday, Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight predicted that Clinton has a 79 percent chance of winning, in contrast to Donald Trump’s 20 percent, and Blount has signed up to volunteer for Clinton’s campaign in an effort to make that happen.
“What better way to cast your first vote than for the person who got you interested in politics?” she said.
Contact Bracey Harris at bharris2@gannett.com or 601-961-7248. Follow @braceyharris on Twitter.