Oklahoma student who attended Democratic National Convention anticipates lifetime in politics

Her zeal for the November election and beyond was fueled last month when she attended the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., as an alternate state delegate.

An Edmond North High School graduate, Langthorn is a sophomore at UCO studying sociology. She is president of the Young Democrats of Oklahoma. She and fellow UCO student Aaron Wilder were the youngest members of the Oklahoma delegation.

An alternate was allowed on the convention floor if the full state delegate contingent was not present, and Langthorn said she was able to be on the floor as much as she wanted.

She saw Obama nominated for a second term and heard speeches by Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and other high-profile politicians.

“The convention was pretty much organized chaos,” she said.

The excitement of a national convention is a contrast to the reality of red state Oklahoma politics, where Democrats are having to work harder for votes. In 2010, Republicans won every state office. A Democratic presidential candidate hasn't carried Oklahoma since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. Al Gore was the last Democratic presidential hopeful to carry an Oklahoma county, and that was 12 years ago.