RNC location: Republicans choose Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to host 2024 National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee

MILWAUKEE (WLS) — On Friday, Republicans chose Milwaukee in the swing state of Wisconsin to host the 2024 national convention, beating Nashville in dark red Tennessee.

Wisconsin is considered a key battleground state and Republicans are hoping to capitalize on their convention.

“The 2024 Republican National Convention will be held in the great city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin,” said Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee, to cheers from party delegates who had gathered in Chicago for their summer meeting. .

The decision in Milwaukee’s favor was announced at the Republican National Committee’s summer meeting in Chicago, following months of wrangling between Wisconsin and Tennessee to clinch the convention where the party’s next presidential candidate will be officially nominated.

Milwaukee was the choice of the RNC site selection committee in July. Milwaukee’s convention award was all but sealed after opposition in Nashville led that city’s council on Tuesday to reject a draft agreement to host the event.

Nashville Mayor John Cooper and others have expressed concerns about safety, the economic trade-off of having to shut down the bustling downtown except for convention business, and the implications of grounding city ​​resources for the event.

Now the Republicans are taking their convention to the Wisconsin battleground, with an eye on much more than 2024.

“It’s a purple state. We obviously hope that we will be able to influence Wisconsin voters to support our candidates. We hope that will help in this year’s election,” said Anne Hathaway, president of the RNC Site Selection Ctte, who is a member of the Indiana National Committee.

Milwaukee was the Democrats’ pick for 2020, but due to COVID the convention has gone virtual. The city’s Democratic mayor is now ready to welcome the other party.

“I’m so happy to share a moment of bipartisanship because I’m from Wisconsin, but in America we need more of that,” Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said.

“I think what you saw on stage was Democrats and Republicans together, saying, hey, let’s come together. We have a lot more in common and just work together for each other’s benefit. I’m so excited,” said Chicago RNC committee member Demetra Demonte.

There’s a bit of irony in the Chicago announcement, given that Republicans have frequently denounced that city over crime and Democratic politics. But GOP leaders rejected that.

“That’s where our summer meeting is where we make the announcement at the summer meeting. I had a lot of big meetings in Chicago when I was president of the RNC. I’m from Kenosha and I love coming to Chicago in the summer. It’s a great city,” said Reince Priebus, chair of the RNC host committee and former White House chief of staff to President Donald Trump.

“Chicago is at the center of our country and sends the message that we are looking for voters in every pocket, every corner to make sure our candidates win,” committee member Hathaway said.

As for whether Donald Trump will run and could be the 2024 GOP nominee?

“I’m not even going to go there because I’ve been using this Green Bay analogy all day: You don’t talk about the Super Bowl until you win the playoffs. And 22 is just too important to that we jump on it and talk about 2024,” President McDaniel said.

Trump narrowly won Wisconsin in 2016 but lost to Biden by an almost identical margin in 2020.

Wisconsin could determine who wins in 2024, while Tennessee hasn’t endorsed a Democrat for president since 1996. But Milwaukee’s pick is in line with recent Republican picks for the convention. For two decades, Republicans have placed their nominating convention in swing states – North Carolina, Ohio and Florida.

Democrats are still deciding where to hold their convention. Chicago is among the contenders, and local leaders have made a major push to make the second city the Democratic National Committee’s top pick.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.