Governors from across the midwest are calling for the 2024 Democratic National Convention to be held in Chicago, Illinois. Lawmakers in the midwest believe that holding the convention in the Windy City will help reaffirm the party’s commitment to voters in the region and avoid the challenges experienced in 2016.
“The midwest is a traditional Democratic stronghold, part of the storied “blue wall” that has been key to Democratic presidential victories for decades. The combination of Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois has voted to send a Democrat to the White House since 1992 with only one exception,” a coalition of Democratic governors wrote.
“In 2016, Donald Trump’s unexpected victory relied upon 80,000 votes in just three states, including fewer than 34,000 votes combined in Michigan and Wisconsin. Those states were taken for granted until ominous warning signs flashed on Election Day, at which point they were already lost. That single exception proves the rule: When the future of the country hangs in the balance, we cannot afford to overlook the Midwest.”
The Democratic National Convention was last held in Chicago in 1996. However, the Democratic Party has not avoided the region. In 2020, the convention was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The convention typically moves from region to region. From 1996 to 2020, the event moved from Los Angeles to Boston to Denver to Charlotte to Philadelphia. This time around, Atlanta, New York and the aforementioned Chicago have merged as frontrunners to host the event.
SCOOP: DNC advised Houston today that it will not host the party’s convention in 2024, sources tell me. That leaves NYC, Atlanta and Chicago as the remaining contenders.
— Jarrett Renshaw (@JarrettRenshaw) January 25, 2023
