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Ohio has become a bellwether state in presidential elections and, seeming to recognize that fact, the GOP has decided it’s the best place to anoint its 2016 nominee.

Cleveland is no Republican stronghold, however. The city was formerly represented in Congress in part by progressive Democrat Dennis Kucinich and has strong ties to organized labor.

The current mayor, Frank G. Jackson, is also a Democrat. That said, Jackson is credited by the county’s Republican Party chair with spearheading the effort to bring the convention to Cleveland. Whomever they’re nominating, conventions bring revenue, after all.

Republicans must be hoping to mine the Rust Belt for votes. Surely with this choice of venue, jobs will top the party’s talking points memo. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus told Fox News, “We’re excited about bringing the convention to Cleveland in Ohio, and we’re excited about the decision. We think it’s a smart decision.”

Cleveland beat out Dallas in red, red Texas.

(Tip of the hat to Political Wire.)

— Posted by Peter Z. Scheer

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