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鈥淚鈥檓 not a member of any organized political party,鈥� humorist Will Rogers once said. 鈥淚鈥檓 a Democrat.鈥澛犅�

That quip, from deep in the last century, has stood the test of time for a party long known for its factions and infighting. Until now.聽

As the Democratic National Convention (DNC) opens Monday in Chicago, party faithful 鈥� for the most part 鈥� have a spring in their step. Their onetime standard-bearer, President Joe Biden, is heading into retirement, instead of a campaign slog that appeared doomed to defeat in November.聽

Now, with Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket, the race against Republican nominee Donald Trump is a dead heat. Democrats suddenly have a fighting chance, and they know it.聽

The party鈥檚 recovery has been eye-popping. In the space of a month, President Biden dropped out of the race, and Vice President Harris moved seamlessly into the nominee spot, tapping Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Once seen as an awkward campaigner, Ms. Harris has defied expectations, impressing even some critics. Her rally crowds number in the thousands, while a tsunami of fundraising and grassroots volunteering has followed.聽The momentum shift is having ripple effects:聽Political handicappers now say Democrats have a shot at winning control of the House, though the Senate is still an uphill battle.聽聽

鈥淭he energy is real, and it鈥檚 going to continue,鈥� says Ann Lewis, a veteran Democratic strategist, who has attended every DNC since 1976. 鈥淧eople are asking, 鈥榃here should I go? What can I do?鈥欌��

Voices of dissent at DNC over war in Gaza

To be sure, voices of dissent will be in the mix. Ms. Lewis, who served as communications director in the Clinton White House, is in Chicago as co-chair of Democratic Majority for Israel, a group promoting strong U.S.-Israel ties. On the other side, pro-Palestinian groups opposed to U.S. aid to Israel amid the war in Gaza have organized a big march Monday outside the DNC, and other protest actions in Chicago are expected throughout the week.聽

Many of those protesting, of course, may not even be Democrats, but socialists or other left-wing groups. Still, dissident voices over Gaza could ring out inside the convention itself, just as they did at many of Mr. Biden鈥檚 鈥� and now Ms. Harris鈥� 鈥� campaign rallies. There will be a small but potentially vocal contingent of 鈥渦ncommitted鈥� delegates in the arena.聽

Ms. Harris has already demonstrated a different approach to handling protesters. She listens for a bit, and then sternly shuts them down. Her recent rebuke of pro-Palestinian students who interrupted her at a rally in Detroit was especially sharp. 鈥淚f you want Donald Trump to win, then say that. Otherwise, I鈥檓 speaking,鈥� she said, to roars of approval.

Not the 鈥渙pen convention鈥� some feared聽

Despite the potential for tumult, political observers marvel at how smoothly the party鈥檚 last-minute ticket swap has unfolded. After Mr. Biden鈥檚 poor June debate performance, as Democratic officials began leaning on him to leave the race, some worried it would precipitate an even more divisive power struggle. But after Mr. Biden dropped out on July 21, the party closed ranks almost immediately around聽Ms. Harris as his replacement, avoiding the chaos of an 鈥渙pen convention鈥� that some had feared.聽

In a multiday, virtual roll-call vote of the DNC鈥檚 more than 4,500 delegates, which closed Aug. 5, Ms. Harris won 99% of the vote.聽

鈥淲hat we鈥檝e seen here is that, yeah, the Democratic Party is actually way stronger than we thought,鈥� says Seth Masket, a political scientist at the University of Denver and author of a book that showed how the Democrats learned from their 2016 loss.聽

Mr. Biden鈥檚 quick endorsement of Ms. Harris, who is Black and South Asian and would be the nation鈥檚 first woman president, effectively ensured her path to the nomination 鈥� and with nary a peep from other party power centers.聽

鈥淭here鈥檚 no Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders who鈥檚 come out and said, 鈥楴o, we need to go in a different direction,鈥欌�� says William Howell, a political scientist at the University of Chicago, referring to two of the Senate鈥檚 outspoken progressives and past presidential contenders. 鈥淓veryone seems to have fallen in line and behaved well.鈥澛�

This is remarkable, he says, given the Democrats鈥� history of warring factions 鈥� including at the party鈥檚 1968 convention, also in Chicago, which was marred by clashes between police and anti-Vietnam War protesters.聽

Opposition to Trump remains a key motivator

In 2024, fear over the potential return of聽former President聽Trump to the Oval Office has played a big part in the coalescing around Ms. Harris, Professor Howell says.聽

In a few cases, there鈥檚 hedging. Three Democratic senators in tough reelection races 鈥� Jon Tester of Montana, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, and Jacky Rosen of Nevada 鈥� are skipping the convention, as are a handful of House Democrats in toss-up races. Of the three senators not coming, one 鈥� Senator Tester 鈥� has yet to endorse Ms. Harris. But the overarching show of party unity in Chicago leaves room for a few elected officials to stand back.聽

Ms. Harris has also benefited from inheriting a well-oiled Biden campaign operation 鈥� including field offices, staff, and volunteers.

Still, although there are only 2 1/2 months to go until Election Day, it鈥檚 too soon to say the trajectory of the race has permanently changed, says Republican pollster Whit Ayres. Much will happen between now and Nov. 5.

鈥淏asically, what we have is an enormous burst of enthusiasm from Democrats who are relieved that they鈥檙e not having to run with Joe Biden at the top of their ticket,鈥� he says.