CHICAGO—Chicago has been selected to host the Democratic Party’s largest event in 2024, beating rival proposals from Atlanta and New York City.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison expressed excitement about bringing the convention back to the Midwest, saying, “This is going to be a Chicago-featured event, and our small businesses, our workers are absolutely going to be benefiting front and center.”
Mayor Lori Lightfoot added that the convention will showcase Chicago and boost the pandemic-ravaged hospitality industry. Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson described the convention as “one of the embodiments of one of the best investments you can make.” The convention is projected to draw 50,000 visitors.
Governor Pritzker emphasized the importance of holding the convention in Chicago, which is located in the “Blue Wall” of key states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota, saying, “this is key to victory in 2024.”
On Tuesday, Biden phoned Pritzker to announce that Chicago had been selected to host the convention which is expected to echo the well-receivedtThe 1996 Democratic National Convention , at which President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore were re-nominated for a second term.
Hosting the convention will put Chicago in the national spotlight and draw similar levels of protests and heightened security concerns as when the city hosted the 2012 NATO summit. Mayor Lightfoot said that the city would work closely with federal partners, including the Secret Service and FBI, to ensure the convention sites are “incredibly secure.”
