President Biden and his party have selected Chicago to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
The last Democratic National Convention held in Chicago was in 1996 when President Bill Clinton was nominated for his second term. In 2020, the convention was held in Milwaukee but was virtual due to the pandemic.
Illinois Democratic officials have been pushing for Chicago to be selected, saying that the city is a liberal place that embraces abortion rights, LGBTQ rights, and labor and civil rights.
Officials have also said that Illinois reflects the diversity of the United States, and the state’s governor, J.B. Pritzker, a longtime Democratic donor, said the city had the financial resources, experience, and infrastructure to run a smooth large-scale event.
Chicago beat out New York, another city whose advocates said the city’s infrastructure and fundraising resources were more than equipped to host the convention. Atlanta and Houston were also in consideration but ultimately were not selected.
“Almost all the Democratic conventions since 1996 have lost money for the DNC,” Pritzker said. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Pritzker was making upfront guarantees and that the Democratic party would “lose no money if Chicago snagged the convention.”
Pritzker said that the city has a good relationship with Wisconsin and Michigan, and surrounding swing states that are important for the re-election of the president. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin have endorsed the city’s bid.
Those opposed to Chicago have said there is a missed opportunity to “elevate a true presidential battleground in Georgia.” The state helped deliver him the presidency and secured Democratic control of the Senate.
“Chicago is a great choice to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention,” said President Joe Biden. “Democrats will gather to showcase our historical progress, including building an economy from the middle out and bottom-up, not from the top down. From repairing our roads and bridges to unleashing a manufacturing boom and creating over 12.5 million new good-paying jobs, we’ve already delivered so much for hard-working Americans – now it’s time to finish the job.
The convention will be held August 19-22 of next year at the United Center, and the Republicans’ convention will be held in Milwaukee, just north of Chicago, July 15-18.
