The Democratic National Committee announced Thursday it will hold its 2016 nominating convention in Philadelphia, where it will officially put forward its candidate who will try to succeed President Obama’s two terms in office.
The City of Brotherly Love beat out Brooklyn, New York and Columbus, Ohio to host the event, to be held the week of July 25. The DNC signed the final contract with Philadelphia Thursday morning.
“There is clearly no better city to have this special event than Philadelphia. The role of Philadelphia in shaping our nation’s history is unmatched,” said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Florida Democrat and chairwoman of the DNC.
Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said the convention is expected to cost $84 million, and expressed confidence they could raise the funds.
In choosing Philadelphia, Democrats bypassed holding their convention in the perennial swing state of Ohio, or New York, where former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the presumptive front-runner for the Democratic nomination, could house her campaign.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio had promoted Brooklyn as an ideal spot, but his recent high-profile clashes with the city’s police department could have served as a point of tension as Democrats try to unify and rally behind their candidate. Ms. Wasserman Schultz, though, said the decision was based solely on logistics, security, and resources.
Columbus Mayor Marcus B. Coleman said the city would try to land a political convention in 2020.
Democrats last month announced the timing of their convention, which will be held the week after Republicans hold their in Cleveland.
Republicans and Democrats held their conventions in back-to-back weeks in 2012, but the GOP held theirs in Tampa the last week of August and Democrats held theirs in Charlotte the first week of September. In 2008, Democrats held their convention the last week of August in Denver and Republicans held theirs the first week of September in Minneapolis.
• This article is based in part on wire service reports.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.