Looks Like 2012 GOP Convention Will Be in Tampa

Politico is reporting that Tampa will be the site of the 2012 Republican National Convention -- the third time the Republicans will convene in Florida. Phoenix and Salt Lake City were also considered.

The GOP met in Miami Beach in 1968 where it nominated Richard Nixon. The entire Florida delegation backed Nixon except Gov. Claude Kirk, who stuck with New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller. The Republicans liked it so much in Miami Beach that they headed back there in 1972 to nominate Nixon again.

The Democratic National Convention was only held in Florida once -- also in Miami Beach in 1972 when they nominated George McGovern. The story of that colorful and frankly strange convention inspired writers like Hunter S. Thompson and Norman Mailer, but there was a Florida political aspect as well. Gov. Reubin Askew, who had defeated Kirk in 1970, was the keynote speaker and one of a host of Democrats who turned down McGoverns offer to be his running mate. McGovern and Askew would later both compete for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984.

The convention will be a boost for the regions economy and could provide a boost for Republican prospects in Florida in 2012, when the state is expected to be a presidential battleground yet again and Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is up for reelection.

A number of prominent Floridians were behind the effort to lure the convention to Tampa, including former Gov. Bob Martinez, Barney Barnett of Publix and Al Austin of Austin Companies.