During Tuesday’s meeting, the council withdrew two competing measures — one to welcome the Republican National Convention and the other that would have opposed it. The message: The council wants to avoid potential security risks and political tension.
Councilmember Sharon Hurt initially opposed the convention but decided not to take her proposal to a vote.
“Not necessarily because I am no longer passionate about these issues, but more so that I’m more passionate about us working together and finding common ground,” she explained to her colleagues.
Prior to the vote, multiple councilmembers sent a letter to the state’s Republican party chair raising concerns.
In a letter to TNGOP chair Scott Golden, 4 Metro Councilmembers (@DaveRosenbergTN, @angienashville, @Stylesfor32 and @mendesbob) detail the ongoing issues between Nashville and the state and address the RNC contract coming before the Council on Monday. pic.twitter.com/axzz8TBZj8
— Steve Cavendish (@scavendish) July 1, 2022
The RNC is expected to decide its convention location later this year.
The Tennessee Journal reports the committee in charge of it issued a statement urging Nashville leaders to stay open to hosting.
“It is our optimistic view that Nashville is the ideal American city to host one or both of our nation’s nominating conventions and to demonstrate to the world its ability to host civil and respectful public discourse on issues vital to the future of our country,” the Nashville 2024 Host Committee wrote in a statement.
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