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Parties ready for conventions' national spotlight [1]
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Date: 2024-07-11 21:31:47+00:00
Democrats and Republicans will soon hold national conventions to formally announce their 2024 presidential candidate in a tradition that aims to unify parties and build momentum ahead of the November election.
The Republican National Convention is scheduled for July 15–18 in Milwaukee. Democrats will hold their national convention in Chicago August 19–22, but plan to nominate their candidate in a virtual vote before that date. The conventions are each expected to draw 50,000 people, as well as millions of TV viewers, giving candidates a nationwide forum to connect with voters.
U.S. political conventions have evolved significantly since they began in the 1830s. Unlike conventions of centuries past, Democrats and Republicans have already determined their nominee through a series of state-level primary elections and caucuses.
Yet experts say national conventions remain an important part of the U.S. election season. In addition to formally announcing their candidate, parties will have the opportunity to clarify positions on major issues and plan messaging themes for the campaign, says Alex Keyssar, a history and social policy professor at Harvard.
According to Barbara Norrander, a University of Arizona professor of government and public policy, setting a policy platform at the convention helps unite parties after often contentious primary campaigns. “Conventions have become about healing any wounds and rallying the troops,” she says.
Third parties, such as the Libertarian Party and the Green Party, also hold conventions. And independent candidates can petition states to get on the ballot for a presidential election.
Both major parties also test out rising stars under the convention’s national spotlight. Sarah Palin came to national prominence when she addressed the 2008 Republican National Convention as the party’s vice presidential nominee. And former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton spoke at Democratic National Conventions four years before going on to become the party’s presidential nominee.
Perhaps the most significant feature of modern national conventions is for parties “to energize and mobilize your supporters” in front of a national audience, said Vanderbilt University political science professor Bruce Oppenheimer.
It’s also when many U.S. voters start to pay close attention to the race, according to David Schultz, professor of political science and environmental and legal studies at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota.
“It’s the proverbial ringing of the bell,” he says. It’s time to “watch, pay attention.”
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https://share.america.gov/parties-ready-for-conventions-national-spotlight/
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