2016 Republican National Convention To Be Held In Cleveland

The next Republican candidate for president will be nominated in Cleveland, the Republican National Committee announced on Wednesday.

The second-most-populous city in “the ultimate swing state,” the RNC website states, beat Dallas to host the 2016 Republican National Convention.

Ohio is a significant swing state that gave its 18 electoral votes to President Obama in the last two elections, giving the RNC’s decision more significance as the party is likely to campaign heavily in Ohio.

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus appeared on Fox News to make the announcement and stated the Republican Party has not spent enough time campaigning in Cleveland in recent elections.

“I think it’s been terrible for our party,” he said. “It’s the cherry on top of the cake to go to Cleveland,” the Hill quoted Priebus as saying.

Priebus said Cleveland was also chosen for logistical reasons, according to USA Today. Priebus said hosting in Cleveland was a “smart decision” to ensure the problems delegates faced at the 2012 Tampa convention, concerning transportation and timing of the events, do not occur again.

The convention will be scheduled for either June 28 or July 18 as Priebus wants to give the nominee earlier access to general-election campaign funds, reports USA Today. Mitt Romney struggled with the 2012 campaign when he was nominated in late August.