Democrats kick-off convention efforts

(Winston-Salem Journal) - With a year to go before the 2012 Democratic National Convention, party Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz touted the importance of North Carolina in the 2012 presidential election Tuesday, vowing to keep the state "blue."

As many as 3,000 people, including a number from Forsyth County, filled the concourse at Charlotte's Time-Warner Cable Arena on Tuesday morning for the official kickoff rally for the convention.

The convention is expected to bring more than 35,000 delegates, media members and guests to Charlotte. It likely will culminate with President Barack Obama being named the party's nominee for a second time.