The New Hampshire Democratic Party hosted its first ever virtual convention Saturday.
The event normally gives the party a chance to energize members and donors, but this time, due to the coronavirus pandemic, it all had to happen on Facebook live.
State Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley told members that 2020 is the election of their lifetime. But he had to acknowledge that getting revved up during a pandemic is tough.
"We know the news can make us all anxious and, for too many, hopeless," he said, "but we all care about the future and we all must have hope."
Sign up for NHPR's email newsletter for coronavirus news and updates in N.H.
The convention featured the state's congressional delegation and Georgia politician and voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams, who pitched the 2020 election as a battle over democracy.
Without a live audience, it was tough to gauge party enthusiasm. But convention co-chair Maura Sullivan made sure viewers knew they weren't alone.
"Are you seeing what I'm seeing here, looking at Facebook live?" she said. "This is amazing. We have got Democrats logging in from all over the state - Manchester, Derry, Concord."
The party says over 3,000 viewers tuned into the event.
Abrams is a former member of the Georgia House of Representatives. She lost a bid for governor of Georgia in 2018, after which she founded Fair Fight, a group that advocates for voter rights.
"We're fighting over whether voter suppression will be what we expect of our democracy like too many states or if we will fight back and ensure every voice is heard and the values that those voices speak for become reality," she said.
Abrams is a potential vice presidential pick for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
