Politics

2016 GOP Convention Will Either Be In Cleveland Or Dallas

Alex Pappas Political Reporter
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Republicans will nominate their next presidential nominee in either Cleveland or Dallas.

The Republican National Committee’s site selection committee announced Wednesday they had dwindled the options for the 2016 convention down to those cities in Ohio and Texas.

Enid Mickelsen, who leads the site selection committee, said the decision was based on a review of bids, presentations and visits to a total of four cities.

Speaking of Cleveland and Dallas, Mikelsen said: “These world class cities know how to roll out the welcome mat, and more importantly they have the ability to provide our next presidential nominee a launching pad that will put a Republican in the White House in 2016.”

Earlier this year, eight cities were vying to hold the convention, which has the effect of bringing millions of dollars of economic impact to the chosen city. Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Denver, Dallas, Kansas City, Las Vegas and Phoenix all placed bids.

Before Tuesday’s decision, the site selection committee had narrowed the choices to Cleveland, Dallas, Denver and Kansas City.

Speaking to reporters earlier this year, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said: “We have to make sure that we put on a convention that gives our nominee a bump. That to me is the No. 1 purpose of having a convention.”

Ohio is typically a swing state; Texas is reliably Republican.

But Priebus has dismissed the thinking that choosing a city helps the party win that state in November, saying that shouldn’t be the sole reason for picking a host. Not since 1992 — when the GOP convention was held in Texas — have Republicans gone on to win the state where they held their convention.

The Republicans nominated Mitt Romney for president in Tampa in 2012, though President Obama went on to win Florida that year.

Meanwhile, the Democrats are just now starting the process of choosing the site of their convention. Earlier this month, party chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced that six cities submitted bids to host the 2016 Democratic National Convention, including Birmingham, Cleveland, Columbus, New York, Philadelphia and Phoenix.

The Democrats held their convention in Charlotte in 2012, though Romney defeated Obama in North Carolina later that year.

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