Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus announced the eight finalists for the 2016 Republican National Convention, in which the party will officially nominate its candidate for the next presidential election.
The finalists include three cities in Ohio, one of the battleground states every four years.
Priebus made the announcement on Twitter. The eight finalists are Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Denver, Dallas, Kansas City, Las Vegas and Phoenix.
As USA Today notes, not only is Ohio heavily represented, but Colorado, which is also considered a battleground state, is there as well as Denver made the list. President Barack Obama won Colorado twice and Denver hosted the 2008 Democratic National convention.
Dallas, Las Vegas and Phoenix all have growing Hispanic populations. Phoenix was a finalist to host the 2012 convention and Kansas City previously hosted the 1976 convention.
Each city will send representatives to Washington to state their case. Then, former congresswoman Enid Mickelsen of Utah will travel to the cities as head of the site selection committee. The RNC will announce the winner in the summer or fall of this year.
The Columbus Dispatch notes that businesses in Ohio’s capital are hoping the convention is held there to bring the city national attention. “This is about economic development, not politics, and will be an economic surge for the city for the five or six years after,” Brian Ross, CEO of Experience Columbus, told the paper.
The 2012 Republican National Convention was held in Tampa.
image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
