California Democrats back Yang after he expresses disappointment over initial DNC lineup

Two Democratic California lawmakers threw their support behind Andrew Yang after he expressed disappointment over being left off the initial Democratic National Convention speaking lineup.

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) both took to Twitter to criticize the Democratic National Committee (DNC), which announced its initial lineup of keynote speakers on Tuesday morning. Yang, a former Democratic presidential candidate, was not among the list of speakers.

Lieu addressed his post to the DNC and pointed out that Asian Americans are “the fastest increasing group in America, including in multiple swing states.”

“The gross underrepresentation of Asian American speakers in the four days of the DNC Convention is tone deaf and a slap in the face,” the congressman posted. 

Dear @DNC: Asian Americans are the fastest increasing group in America, including in multiple swing states. The gross underrepresentation of Asian American speakers in the four days of the DNC Convention is tone deaf and a slap in the face. https://t.co/PkBRrVFUgO

— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) August 11, 2020

Khanna’s also advocated for Yang to speak at the convention in a post, which the former 2020 candidate replied to and thanked him for.

“It’s absurd to exclude him given the campaign he ran,” he tweeted.

.@AndrewYang should speak at the convention. It’s absurd to exclude him given the campaign he ran.

— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) August 11, 2020

The criticism against the DNC came after Yang reacted on Twitter to the list of convention speakers, saying, “I’ve got to be honest I kind of expected to speak.” 

The former 2020 candidate followed with a second tweet that said, “Maybe I endorsed against one too many incumbents.”

I’ve got to be honest I kind of expected to speak.

— Andrew Yang (@AndrewYang) August 11, 2020

Maybe I endorsed against one too many incumbents.

— Andrew Yang (@AndrewYang) August 11, 2020

A DNC spokesperson told The Hill that Yang was among a list of former 2020 candidates who would be speaking during two segments about the status of America and how they will work with former Vice President Joe Biden.

Other former candidates involved in these segments include Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tom Steyer, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, among others. 

Some former candidates, including Sanders and Warren, will have keynote speaking slots, which were announced Tuesday morning.

Yang ran on a platform primarily supporting universal basic income before he dropped out of the presidential race following the New Hampshire primary results in February. 

Former Vice President Joe Biden will accept the Democratic nomination for president at next week’s convention.

The DNC has announced several well-known speakers for the four-day event, including former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as well as former President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. 

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and former Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) will also speak during the convention. 

Biden’s running mate, announced Tuesday to be Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), also has been scheduled to speak.