Who Is Christian Fitts? TikToker’s Dad Get Prime Speaking Slot at DNC

Eric Fitts, a longtime educator from Raleigh, North Carolina, has unexpectedly found himself in the national spotlight after a TikTok video posted by his teenage son, Christian Fitts, went viral. The video documented President Joe Biden’s visit to their home earlier this year.
This unexpected turn of events has led to Fitts getting a prime speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. He is set to share the stage with his sons, Christian and Carter, on the final night of programming.
Biden’s visit was part of a broader effort to engage with everyday Americans and showcase his administration’s commitment to student loan forgiveness—a policy that directly benefited Fitts. He has worked in the school system since 2007 and became the principal of Brentwood Magnet Elementary School of Engineering in 2015.
“At first, I was a little nervous speaking to the President of the United States… but halfway through, it felt normal. It was just like any family dinner, except the president was there,” Christian Fitts told Newsweek.
During the January visit, Christian captured and shared a TikTok video of Biden sitting with their family, discussing topics ranging from basketball to education. The video quickly went viral, bringing both father and son into the public eye.
The Fitts family’s connection with Biden didn’t end there. Six months later, Eric Fitts introduced Biden at a rally in Raleigh, following the widely scrutinized debate that served as the beginning of the end of the president’s re-election campaign. During his introduction, Eric passionately spoke about the impact of Biden’s student loan forgiveness program on his family.
The Fitts family is scheduled to take the stage on Thursday at the United Center in Chicago. Their speech aligns with the evening’s theme, “For our Future,” and supports Kamala Harris’ campaign strategy to engage younger voters and social media influencers through personal stories like Fitts’ that resonate widely online.
As political campaigns increasingly turn to content creators to reach younger voters, the 2024 DNC is embracing this trend by featuring a lineup of prominent social media influencers throughout the four-day program. These creators are sharing the same stage where politicians and celebrities deliver their speeches.
On the third day of the convention, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, former President Bill Clinton, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi are among the prominent figures taking the stage.
Walz is expected to formally accept the Democratic Party’s nomination for vice president. The evening’s celebrity host will be Mindy Kaling, with a performance by John Legend.
Follow Newsweek’s live DNC updates here.