Republican Gov. Bill Lee of Tennessee and Republicans in the state legislature heavily lobbied for Nashville to host the convention. Yet, the city’s Democratic-dominated Metro Council voted down the draft agreement. According to numerous local reports, just 10 council members voted in favor, with 22 against and three abstentions.
Milwaukee approved its draft resolution in June, and two weeks ago, the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) Site Selection Committee — which manages the 2024 convention planning — suggested Milwaukee over Nashville.
The committee will make its formal declaration on Thursday to the full RNC membership in a closed session, as the national party committee holds its summer conference in Chicago. On Friday, the RNC membership will vote in a public session on the Site Selection committee’s recommendation for Milwaukee to host the convention.
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Tuesday night’s vote seems to be the final nail in the coffin for Nashville’s chances of hosting the convention. Yet a source familiar with the RNC’s convention selection process explained to Fox News after Nashville council vote that "nothing has changed, and the final vote will still be on Friday."
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The two national parties often hold their conventions in competitive general election states. While Tennessee is a reliably red state in presidential contests, Wisconsin’s a key battleground.
Earlier this year Salt Lake City, Utah and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania were dropped from contention to host the 2024 GOP convention.
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Democratic National Committee officials are proceeding to visit the cities wishing to host the Democrats’ 2024 presidential nominating convention. The DNC may announce their choice when they hold their annual summer meeting in early September.
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Nashville Mayor John Cooper, a Democrat, expressed concerns about those risks and the amount of resources necessary to hold the convention, though ultimately deferred to the council's choice.
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Republican state lawmakers minimized those concerns, laying blame on partisan politics.
"The real and present danger of not supporting this ordinance is the international damage that saying 'no' will do to Nashville's stellar, welcoming and inclusive reputation," Council member Robert Swope, the bill's sponsor, announced on Tuesday before the vote.
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Swope first tried to bring the draft agreement before the Metro Council in July yet pulled the bill before a vote due to lack of support.
The initial failure prompted rumors of retaliatory state preemption.
A group of council members penned a letter to Tennessee Republican Party Chair Scott Golden declaring that state lawmakers "continue to be outwardly hostile in intent and actions" toward Nashville's ability to enact local policies.
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