Houston could host Dems in 2020
City ‘seriously considering’ bid for national convention, Turner says, competing for site with 7 others
WASHINGTON — Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Thursday that the city is “seriously considering” a bid for the Democratic National Convention in 2020, joining seven other cities that have taken initial steps to host the event.
Democratic National Committee officials confirmed that Houston is one of eight cities that were sent formal proposal requests after responding to initial inquiries to gauge their interest.
Turner’s statement comes a week after San Antonio officials decided not to submit a bid to host the 2020 Republican National Convention, citing the upfront costs of an international spectacle that could draw 40,000 visitors.
That decision, according to San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, extends to the Democratic convention as well. The decision was derided by some Republican officials who had actively courted the city.
Other cities that have expressed interest in the Democratic convention are Atlanta, Birmingham, Ala., Denver, Miami
Beach, Milwaukee, New York City and San Francisco.
Houston, unlike San Antonio, has a history of hosting political conventions, including the 1992 Republican convention at the Astrodome that launched President George H.W. Bush’s unsuccessful re-election campaign against Democrat Bill Clinton.
The city also hosted the 1928 Democratic convention. Turner said he was pleased that the Democrats have come knocking again.
“The Democratic National Committee (DNC) issued a request for proposal to the city of Houston to host the 2020 convention, and we are seriously considering it,” Turner said. “With all that this city has to offer it is not surprising that Houston would again be among the top list of contenders to Host the DNC in 2020. Houston is the 4th largest city and most diverse city in the country and has a reputation for being a welcoming city with first-class venues and attractions.”
DNC spokesman Michael Tyler said the organization sent initial letters of interest last month to a “broad list of cities” that have traditionally been able to meet the preliminary requirements for hosting conventions, including event facilities, transportation, and hotels.
Houston was among those that expressed initial interest in what could be a long, competitive process. “We expect the entire selection process to play out over the next year,” Tyler said.
‘Open for business’
Turner noted that Houston has shown it can handle massive events, including Super Bowl LI, the 2017 World Series, and most recently the 2018 Offshore Technology Conference. In 2020, Houston also will host the World Petroleum Congress.
“In case there is any doubt, I want the world to know that after Hurricane Harvey, Houston is resilient and open for business,” Turner said.
But while the mayor is bullish on Houston, the decision to make a formal bid has yet to be made.
“By hosting the DNC in 2020, Houston would increase our standing on the national and global stage, so we are certainly interested in reviewing the DNC’s requirements before deciding whether to submit a formal bid,” Turner said. “After full consideration, we will move forward in the best interest of our city.”
As Democrats sift through a long list of potential candidates to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020, the convention is certain to provide a defining moment in the battle to unseat one of the most controversial figures of modern times.
The Democrats met in Philadelphia in 2016 to pick Hillary Clinton as their nominee. The Republicans nominated Trump in Cleveland.
Both were in states seen as potential battlegrounds in presidential politics. That would hardly seem the case in Texas, which hasn’t gone Democrat in a presidential election since 1976, when Jimmy Carter carried the state.
‘Ground zero’ for Democrats
Texas Democrats, however, say a national convention could be a much-needed boost, especially in Houston. In a statement Thursday, the Harris County Democratic Party said hosting the 2020 convention would build momentum because “Harris County is ground zero for turning Texas blue and when we flip the state, the country comes with us.”
But logistical concerns can sometimes trump symbolism as ever-larger political conventions present increasingly complicated transportation, hospitality and security challenges. Large protests also have become a regular part of the equation.
Officials at the Houston First Corporation, a publicly-chartered group that promotes the city, said they are working with the mayor’s office and are waiting to hear from the DNC about the specific financial and logistical requirements for hosting the convention, which some compare in scale to a Super Bowl level event.
As with other big events, local business leaders and city host committees are usually expected to raise millions to host political conventions.
Both parties have long considered Texas when looking for a host. Houston was the first Texas city to hold a convention in 1928, when Democrats nominated New York Gov. Alfred Smith to lead their ticket. That year, Republicans held their convention site in Kansas City, where U.S. Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover went on to win the nomination and the presidency.
Dallas, too, has hosted a major party’s convention. In 1984, Republicans flocked to Dallas to nominate incumbent President Ronald Reagan, who would go on to win his re-election against Minnesota Sen. Walter Mondale. George H.W. Bush ran as Reagan’s vice president during both his 1980 and 1984 campaigns.
It took another six decades before Houston was once again the convention site for one of the two major parties — this time, for the Republicans. In 1992, as Bush, then incumbent president, faced his fourth time being on a presidential ballot, Republicans gathered in Houston to nominate him for re-election. Bush faced a competitive threeway campaign that featured fellow Texan Ross Perot.
In 2016, Austin was one of two dozen cities invited by the DNC to apply for that year’s nominating convention. However, thenMayor Lee Leffingwell declined to bid, saying the city didn’t have a sufficient transportation system or an event venue that could meet the party’s requirements.
In rejecting the 2020 GOP convention, officials in San Antonio seem to have come to a similar conclusion — angering some local business leaders. While the mayor didn’t say the city wasn’t up to the task, he questioned whether the potential costs — the total cost of the 2016 convention in Philadelphia was estimated at $127 million — would outweigh an economic impact of about $200 million.
“As a whole, the City Council did not feel it was worth it to move forward,” Nirenberg told the San Antonio Express News. The decision drew a strong rebuke from Brad Parscale, Trump’s current campaign manager and a former San Antonian.
“Weak-kneed Ron,” Parscale chided on Twitter. “A city council of left-wing activists destroying the economy of #SanAntonio. @Ron_Nirenberg and city council just made the business community their enemy. Have fun with that.”
Third parties also hold national conventions during presidential years, and Texas has seen several cities as hosts. In 2016, Jill Stein was nominated to lead the Green Party ticket at the group’s convention in Houston.