By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog, Ohio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper and Newspaper Blog, Tel: (216) 659-0473 Kathy Wray Coleman is a community activist and 20 year investigative journalist who trained for 17 years at the Call and Post Newspaper in Cleveland, Ohio.(www.clevelandurbannews.com) /(www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com)
CLEVELAND, Ohio- Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, the city's third Black mayor behind Carl B. Stokes, who was elected in 1967, and Michael R. White in the early 90s, who served three four-year terms as Jackson will likely do, has done it again, winning the 2016 Republican Convention for Cleveland as a host city. And this is behind his win last year with 68 percent of the vote against millionaire businessman Ken Lanci for a third mayoral term , and the year before he convinced Cleveland voters to endorse a 15 mill schools tax levy as the overseer of the city schools under state law.
All three, the late Carl B. Stokes, White, and Jackson, are Democrats.
The win for the majority Black major American city means that it is now out of consideration to host the Democratic National Convention in 2016 via clause in the Dems' contract for consideration. What a clause, though the Dems were not truly courting Cleveland, Democratic Party sources says, and now they can only hope that Columbus, Ohio, which is in the running can nab the DNC. It's mayor, Michael Coleman, is also Black and a Democrat.
Jackson was diplomatic about the accomplishment, but his growth as a mayor showed as he said that the greater Cleveland community welcomes the RNC to Cleveland.
"It was the entire community that was inviting them here," said the mayor at a press conference on Tuesday.
Jackson also told reporters that the convention will strengthen Cleveland's economy and heighten the city's national and international visibility.
Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald, the Democratic nominee in the race for governor this year against Republican Incumbent Gov John Kasich, said that he is pleased that Cleveland landed a national convention under his leadership as county executive.
"Today we got some exciting news, although it’s not our usual brand of excitement," said FitzGerald, in a press release to Cleveland Urban News.Com, Ohio's leader in Black digital news. " The Republicans are coming to Cleveland for their convention."
"But what's even better than the Republicans coming to Cleveland, for their national convention? " said FitzGerald."How about a Democratic governor to welcome them?"
Cleveland out did a number of cities vying for the Republican convention slot, which brought a reported $214 million in 2012 to the economy in Tampa, Florida.
Dallas was the main contender that lost to Cleveland for 2016, an indication that both Democrats and Republicans alike know that Ohio is a pivotal state for presidential elections with the last Republican to win the White House and lose Ohio being Abraham Lincoln and the last Democrat to do so was John F. Kennedy in 1960.
The RNC site selection committee is expected to ratify the selection of Cleveland as its host city in August, officials said yesterday. And what a boost to a city that could use some good publicity as crime rates mount, its public schools continue to struggle, poverty remains stagnant, and greater Cleveland women, from the Imperial Avenue Murders to the East 93rd Street Murders and Seymour Avenue rape victims, are continual victims of unprecedented violence.
