ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 14: View of Atlanta Skyline during BMI New Atlanta Office Opening on October 14, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/WireImage)
ATLANTA - Democratic officials dropped Atlanta from contention for the 2028 presidential convention on Thursday as party leaders narrowed their search to three alternative host cities.
What we know:
Democratic leaders narrowed the host city options for their Aug. 7-10 nominating event down to Boston, Denver and Philadelphia.
Republican leaders previously chose Houston for their gathering.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin called the remaining bids incredibly strong.
Officials visited five candidate locations in April and May to evaluate fundraising capacity and logistical capability before dropping Atlanta and Chicago.
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Big picture view:
The three finalists feature major suburban areas that offer access to labor unions and key demographic groups. Colorado and Massachusetts reliably favor Democrats, while Pennsylvania remains a top battleground that Donald Trump won in 2024.
Philadelphia previously hosted the event in 2016, while Denver hosted in 2008 and Boston in 2004. The nomination gathering will follow a primary season to select a candidate to succeed Trump at the end of his second term.
Party leaders face financial debt and fundraising disadvantages against Republicans heading into this year's midterm elections. Martin addressed internal criticism during a party meeting in Texas by urging Democrats to unite behind flipping the House and taking the Senate.
What we don't know:
Party officials did not give specific reasons why they eliminated Atlanta or Chicago from the selection process. Leaders have not announced an exact date for when they will reveal the winning location later this year.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report.