Editor's Note: Northampton County Democratic Party Chairman Walt Garvin is one of two Lehigh Valley delegates from the 17th Congressional District at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. The 15th Congressional District also sent delegates from the Lehigh Valley, including Allentown City Council President Julio Guridy, Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, Kathleen D. Miller of Upper Milford, Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan and Miriam Huertas of Allentown. Adrian Shanker of Bethlehem is an alternate delegate. 

Name: Walt Garvin

Party: Democratic

Age: 57

Hometown: Bethlehem Township

Political Office: Chairman, Northampton County Democratic Party

Employment: Semi-Retired

Marital Status/Children: Married (Julie), One son Kevan, 23

 Congressional District Represented: 17th Congressional District

* What makes you proud of the Democratic Party?

Everything! The Democratic Party takes governing seriously, and tries to represent all Americans! Too often the other party claims that "government is the problem" -- and they prove it every time they get into power. 

Today's political environment equates money with free speech (i.e. the Citizens United ruling). If money is free speech, then who speaks for the poor and those without the financial resources of corporations, Super-Pacs, and millionaires? Working families need to be represented, and the Democratic Party is their best option!

* What issues matter in Northampton County?
An economy that benefits everyone, not just the well-to-do! An economy 
that benefits working men and women and their familes. It's not enough 
for an economy to benefit the wealthy at the expense of everyone else.

* What are you looking forward to at the Democratic Convention?
I'm looking forward to highlighting the president's accomplishments of 
the past four years! From losing over 700,000 jobs a month under the 
previous administration to adding over 4.2 million Private Sector jobs since 
February 2010 -- 27 straight months of Private Sector job growth.

Also, saving the Auto Industry from bankruptcy, passing the Stimulus Package of 2009, and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Together these have helped stabilize our economy and have laid the foundation for a better future for America and the Middle Class! These are some of President Obama's accomplishments that we need to build upon for America to move forward --not return to the failed policies that created the financial collapse of 2008!