The location of early conventions was dictated by the difficulty of transporting delegates from far-flung parts of the country ; early Democratic and Whig Conventions were frequently held in the central Eastern Seaboard port of Baltimore , Maryland . As the U.S. expanded westward and railroads connected cities , Midwestern cities such as Chicago , Illinois — which since 1860 has held 25 Republican and Democratic Conventions combined , more than any other urban center in the USA — became the favored hosts . In the present day , political symbolism affects the selection of the host city as much as economic or logistical ones do . A particular city might be selected to enhance the standing of a favorite son , or in an effort to curry favor with residents of that state . For example , in 2011 , Obama campaign manager Jim Messina noted : " We put the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte , North Carolina in part because we believe so deeply in " a " New South map . " Likewise , New York City was selected as the host of the 2004 Republican National Convention to evoke memories of George W. Bush 's leadership in the September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
United States presidential nominating convention