Republicans Choose Houston for 2028 National Convention, Highlighting Texas Support
The Republican Party has chosen Houston as the host city for their 2028 national convention, a decision that reflects the party’s efforts to solidify support in Texas amidst shifting demographics.
Houston, the fourth-largest city in the United States, was once a Republican stronghold but has since become a Democratic stronghold, with the party sweeping every countywide seat in Harris County in 2016. Despite this shift, Republicans are eager to work with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, a former Democratic state lawmaker, in planning the convention.
Texas, the largest reliably red state in the country, has not supported a Democrat for president since 1976. However, the state’s growing Hispanic population and influx of residents from more liberal states have Democrats hopeful about flipping Texas in the future.
Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke came close to upsetting Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018, and Democrats are eyeing the upcoming Senate race as an opportunity to make further gains in the state. Meanwhile, Republican Governor Greg Abbott emphasized Texas as the “heart of the conservative movement” in a social media post on Friday.
The decision to hold the convention in Houston comes as a contrast to the GOP’s choice to hold their 2024 convention in Milwaukee, a critical swing state in the Midwest. Democrats have not yet selected their 2028 convention site, but Houston was considered along with New York and Atlanta before Chicago was chosen for the 2024 convention.
The selection of Houston as the host city for the 2028 Republican National Convention sets the stage for a potentially pivotal event in Texas politics, as both parties vie for control in a state that could drastically alter the nation’s political landscape.
