In one of her first moves since taking office, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones is asking the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to choose San Antonio for the party’s 2028 national convention.
Both Democrats and Republicans host a national convention before each presidential election, drawing tens of thousands of party faithful to formally nominate their candidates for president and vice president and kick off their political efforts.
The events also draw major media attention and tourism dollars to their host cities, which compete hard for the privilege of being chosen.
“Our city — bold, inclusive, and emblematic of the American future — would be a fitting and inspiring home for this historic event,” Jones wrote in a July 1 letter to DNC Chair Ken Martin and executive director Alex Hornbrook.
Jones has many national political connections from her two congressional races and her time as the Biden Administration’s Air Force Under Secretary.
Her ask comes as Martin and the DNC have also signaled renewed interest Texas, where big investments over numerous election cycles have done little to shift the politics of a red state.
President Donald Trump carried Texas by 14 percentage points in 2024, and even reliably blue parts of the state have been shifting away from Democrats in recent years.
Nevertheless, both parties agree that broader population shifts have made the state a perpetual battleground for the foreseeable future.
“The future of the Democratic Party runs through Texas,” Martin told the New York Times on a February visit to Houston.
A DNC spokesperson did not respond to questions about San Antonio’s bid to host the 2028 convention in time for publication Thursday.
The Republican National Committee has already announced plans to host its 2028 national convention in Houston — after an unusually early selection process.
Democrats have had few bright spots to point to last November’s GOP wave, but Jones’ decisive victory over an opponent with ties to state GOP leaders last month was a rallying point for state and national party leaders.
“San Antonio is known for two things: compassion and common sense,” Jones said in her DNC letter, mirroring some of her reflections after the mayor’s race. “Our residents are warm, welcoming, and proud of the cultural richness that defines our city and the future of our nation.”
A hefty price tag
Despite San Antonio’s reputation as a tourism powerhouse, the city has never hosted a national convention for either political party.
The Republican National Committee approached local officials about coming here in 2020, but the left-leaning City Council turned it down amid concerns about logistics and potential backlash to a “divisive” Trump administration descending on blue city.
That year a group of local business leaders had pledged to raise the roughly $70 million price tag noted in the RNC’s request for proposals, and were outraged when then-Mayor Ron Nirenberg declined what they saw as a major revenue generating opportunity.
Two years later San Antonio hosted the Republican Party of Texas’ convention, which the city bid for against Fort Worth.
Credit: Brenda Bazán / San Antonio Report
Like other major events, national political conventions come with big upfront costs that cities must weigh against the potential tourism dollars.
Chicago reportedly spent about $75 million to host Democrats’ national convention in 2024, and the city’s tourism arm said the event generated about $371.4 million in economic impact.
Visit San Antonio, which has been helping with the city’s application process, estimated the 2028 convention would bring about $127 million in direct spending, and about $250 million in total economic impact.
Jones said Thursday that it’s still early in the application process, and details about fundraising and a potential bid committee would be hashed out later if the DNC signals interest.
“There is a fundraising component to this … but I think as the DNC is looking at considering a wider range of communities than is previously looked at, those requirements may evolve,” Jones said.
If San Antonio were selected, Democrats’ next presidential nominee could be named in the 60,000-seat Alamodome, which just underwent big renovations for the 2025 NCAA Men’s Final Four basketball tournament.
Jones’ letter also noted the city’s ample hotel options, convention center amenities and other tourism attractions, which she said offer “an unparalleled visitor experience.”
“Obviously this would be a great economic opportunity,” Jones said. “But also a great opportunity to highlight our city as well.”