If there was ever any question that Ohio would once again be a pivotal state in the 2016 presidential election, it was laid to rest last week.
On Wednesday, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced that Columbus was among three finalists for the 2016 presidential nominating convention – the others being Philadelphia and New York.
With the Republican National Committee (RNC) having already landed on Cleveland as the site of its 2016 convention, it creates a unique situation for Ohio – the first time the Buckeye State would host both major party presidential nominating conventions.
This would be no accident, no little moment of serendipity for Ohio. It would be a signal to one and all that, once again, Ohio will be a major battleground state.
Hosting both conventions would be a first for Ohio, but it would be by no means the first time the same state has hosted the Republican and Democratic national conventions in the same year.
That’s happened six times since 1856, the first year the Republicans ran a presidential candidate and the famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view) “two party system” began.
Cleveland has hosted conventions in the past – most recently in 1936, when the Republicans gathered to nominate the hapless Alf Landon of Kansas, who was buried in the general election by incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt in one of the most lop-sided presidential elections in history. For Columbus, this would be a first time experience.
Cincinnati has had its share of 19th century conventions, the last being in 1880, when the Democrats nominated Civil War hero Winfield Scott Hancock, who was whipped in the general election by an Ohioan, James Garfield.
Cincinnati tried and failed to win the Republican convention this time around. Why couldn’t Cincinnati have made a bid for the DNC?
Well, if Cincinnati’s US Bank Arena was deemed unsuitable for a Republican convention, it certainly couldn’t handle a Democratic convention, which has many more delegates to squeeze onto the arena floor.
Columbus, though, has Nationwide Arena, home of the NHL’s Blue Jackets, a larger facility which apparently suits the needs of the DNC.
Cleveland had made an early bid for the Democratic convention, but withdrew after reeling in the Republicans.
Columbus should find out in early 2015 if it will get the convention in the summer of 2016.
Hosting both conventions would not be unique to Ohio, but it would be the first time the conventions were held in different cities in the same state. In the past, Chicago, Philadelphia and Miami Beach have hosted dueling conventions in the same year.
Here’s the historical line-up:
1884: The Democrats and Republicans both met in Chicago. The Democrats nominated Grover Cleveland, while the Republicans crowned James G. Blaine of Maine, who lost in a squeaker to Cleveland.
1932: Again, both parties gathered in Chicago. In the midst of the Great Depression, for which he was given much of the blame, incumbent Republican Herbert Hoover was re-nominated and was waxed in the general election by Franklin D. Roosevelt.
1944: Chicago, again. An ailing and war-weary Roosevelt was nominated by the Democrats for a fourth term. The Republicans nominated New York governor Thomas Dewey; and Roosevelt was re-elected. Five months later, Roosevelt died in office; and Harry Truman took office as president. 1944, by the way, was the last time an Ohioan was on a major party presidential ticket – Ohio Gov. John Bricker was Dewey’s running mate.
1948: This time, the parties convened in Philadelphia. The Democrats nominated the unelected president, Truman, while the Republicans put up Dewey as their candidate again. Every pundit in the country doomed Truman to failure, but he ended up winning, with his “Give ‘Em Hell, Harry” campaign, where he traveled the country constantly by rail.
1952: Once again, Chicago. The Democrats nominated the governor of Illinois, Adlai Stevenson. But the Republicans put up Dwight D. Eisenhower. The World War II hero proved to be too much for Stevenson, and Eisenhower won in a landslide.
1972: Sunny Miami Beach was the scene for both party conventions. The Democrats nominated Sen. George McGovern in a convention that was so raucous that McGovern didn’t deliver his acceptance speech until the wee hours of the morning. Incumbent Republican Richard Nixon was re-nominated and glided to a massive win. McGovern won only one state – Massachusetts – and the District of Columbia.
And now, Ohio waits to find out it if will be the next state to host both conventions. And Columbus, especially, which stands to have about $150 million to $200 million pumped into its economy by about 40,000 delegates, alternates and guests.
And there is the possibility that a Republican from Ohio, Sen. Rob Portman or Gov. John Kasich, could end up on the ticket in Cleveland – either as the presidential nominee or the running mate.
Still think Ohio doesn’t matter in the 2016 presidential election?
