CLEVELAND — South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn on Monday described this year's election as the "most consequential" of his lifetime.
"I hear people telling me that they're so upset about what happened in the primaries that they're going to boycott their voting in November," said the South Carolina Democrat during a voting rights town hall at Cleveland State University that U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge ( D-Ohio ) hosted. "Just remember this, on Nov. 8 you're going to have national elections. When you wake up on the morning of the 9th, somebody is going to be elected. Now whether or not you participate in that process or not, there's going to be an election and somebody's going to get elected."
"This is the most consequential election of my lifetime," he added.
Clyburn specifically pointed to the U.S. Supreme Court and cases around voting and abortion rights, the DREAM Act and immigration.
"These things are going to end up before the Supreme Court," he said. "Who will be sitting on that Supreme Court will be determined by who wins on Nov. 8."
Clyburn did not mention the case of Gavin Grimm, a transgender student who is challenging his Virginia school district's bathroom policy, that could go before the justices during their upcoming term.
Thompson: Voters must 'promote our interests'
MSNBC anchor Joy-Ann Reid moderated the panel that took place on the first day of the Republican National Convention.
Ohio state Rep. Stephanie Howse ( D-Cleveland ), Julie Fernandes of the Open Society Foundations, Camille Wimbish of Ohio Voice and Mike Brickner of the American Civil Liberties Union were also panelists alongside Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson.
"The greatness of this country is that we settle our differences at the ballot box," said Thompson. "Nov. 8 will come, you choose your person, others choose theirs. It doesn't matter on Nov. 9 other than who won, but we don't have a coup. We don't burn buildings or shoot people because we are a democracy."
"It's inherent upon us to make sure that we promote our interests," he added.
The town hall took place a day after a gunman killed three police officers in Baton Rouge, La. Factions within the Turkish military over the weekend staged an unsuccessful coup against their country's president.
