Democrats Choose Crime-Ridden City For 2024 Convention

 Democrats have chosen Chicago as the location of their 2024 convention.

President Joe Biden called Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker about the decision on Tuesday before departing on a trip to Northern Ireland, according to multiple reports.

The Midwest city beat out New York and Atlanta, the two other finalists. Houston dropped out of the contest earlier this year.

Pritzker, a billionaire, and other Illinois leaders had offered to cover the cost of the event, estimated to run a tab of $80 million and $100 million, per POLITICO.

The convention is expected to be held August 19-22 and attract visitors from around the country.

At the event, delegates will gather to select the party’s nominee for president and adopt a platform. The Democrats’ last convention in 2020, when Biden was picked as the nominee, was held in Milwaukee, although it was essentially a virtual event because of the COVID pandemic.

Biden said on Monday he plans to run again but was not ready to make an announcement. Others seeking the party’s nomination include self-help author Marianne Williamson, who ran in 2020, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who filed for a campaign last week.

Although the Windy City is grappling with high crime, the Democratic National Committee gave Chicago high marks for security and other logistical factors such as hotel capacity, financing, and transportation, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The last time Chicago held the Democrats’ convention was in 1996, which C-SPAN communications director Howard Mortman marked with a clip of Hillary Clinton’s viral “Macarena” moment.

Republicans have already chosen Milwaukee as the location for their 2024 convention. That event is scheduled for July 15 through July 18.

Former President Donald Trump is seeking another term, setting up a potential 2020 general election rematch against Biden. Former South Carolina Governor and United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson have also entered the 2024 race for the GOP nomination.

Others expected to join the contest include former Vice President Mike Pence and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.