Tennessee is threatening Nashville’s budget to force it to hold 2024 RNC Convention: report

The GOP governor of Tennessee is playing hardball with the Democratic mayor of Nashville in an effort to bring the 2024 RNC Convention to the state in spite of worries about the violent tendencies of Donald Trump's party, NBC News reported Friday.

"Nashville Mayor John Cooper, a Democrat, has raised 'significant security concerns' directly with RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel, according to two sources familiar with the conversations between the mayor's office and the RNC," Natasha Korecki reported. "Talks among the mayor’s office, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, the RNC and the host committee have been ongoing for weeks as the search for the Republican convention site has narrowed to Milwaukee and Nashville."

Cooper was reportedly worried about holding the convention in a “post-Jan. 6 environment."

"Nashville is a bright blue dot in a deeply red state, a factor that is contributing to tensions over the possibility of the RNC hosting its marquee party celebration in the city," NBC News reported. "City Council members, a majority of whom identify as progressives, must approve the contract to the RNC. However, in some of the ongoing conversations involving the mayor's office, Tennessee state officials and the RNC, the governor has alluded to the fact that the state controls Nashville's budget, a source familiar with those talks said. 'That’s a stick that the governor has made very clear he’ll use if Nashville doesn’t play ball,' the source said."

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The 2020 RNC Convention was scheduled to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, but Trump moved it to Jacksonville, Florida and then ultimately canceling his speech.

"Some council members, such as Nashville Metro Councilwoman Sandra Sepulveda, said hosting the convention would not 'align with the values of Nashville.' In an interview, Sepulveda also raised security concerns around protests and whether the Republican supermajority that dominates state government would come down especially hard on protesters," NBC reported.