Dems pick Milwaukee for 2020 convention
Event set for region seen as key to party’s success
Swing-state city edges out Houston and Miami for July 13-16 gathering
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee will host the 2020 Democratic National Convention, edging out two large and deep-pocketed rivals over a monthslong campaign waged behind the scenes through phone calls, contract negotiations and quiet lobbying by some of the most powerful political figures in the country.
The announcement comes after weeks of decision-making by Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez.
Relying on Midwestern grit to overcome glitzier rivals, Milwaukee snagged the event over Houston and Miami.
The convention is scheduled for July 13-16, 2020, with Fiserv Forum serving as the centerpiece of the event.
It will mark the first major-party convention in Milwaukee’s history, and it will be the first Midwestern convention for Democrats since 1996 in Chicago.
Milwaukee’s organizers accentuated the city’s heartland location, political importance in a swing state and mild summer weather.
Recent Democratic history also may have helped Milwaukee’s bid.
In 2016, the party’s presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, failed to campaign in Wisconsin during the general election and the state went to now-President Donald Trump.
As the 2020 campaign shapes up, Wisconsin is in the line of swing states from Pennsylvania through Iowa that probably will help determine the winner of the presidential race.
For Democrats, the road to Milwaukee certainly will be crowded.
More than a dozen candidates likely vying for the party’s presidential nomination.
Milwaukee was among eight cities originally in the running for the event.
In June, the field was cut to a final four. Denver dropped out, leaving Milwaukee, Miami and Houston.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore of Milwaukee and Alex Lasry, executive vice president of the Milwaukee Bucks, spearheaded the city’s effort. The leadership group was expanded to include Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Gov. Tony Evers and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes.
Questions had been raised about whether Milwaukee had enough hotel rooms and could raise enough funds to host such a major event.
Yet Milwaukee’s bid committee expressed confidence that the city and surrounding area could accommodate tens of thousands of visitors who will converge on a convention city.
And the local committee insisted it could raise the funds necessary to stage the event – about $70 million.
The expected payoff for the Milwaukee area is up to $200 million in economic benefit, organizers have said.
Milwaukee also overcame a significant hurdle in late January when Barrett announced the city had secured a third-party line of credit for the event.
The line of credit would serve as a backstop for the bid and wouldn’t come into play until after the convention, and only then if the host committee falls short of fundraising and runs a deficit.