Recently my city (Dallas, TX) pulled out all the stops to try to land the Republican National Convention. Nearly half a million was spent, and the sales pitches included live elephants and the Dallas Cowboy's cheerleaders. In the end, though, the nod went to Cleveland, Ohio. There were reasons given. Dallas couldn't commit to all of the preferred dates for the event. Ohio is a swing state. But this week, we got another take from a GOP insider. It was politics.
Ray Washburne, a Dallas businessman and the GOP’s national finance chairman, floated that notion in a July email to local organizers. Washburne, well-versed in the party’s internal machinations, said Dallas’ loss came down to maneuverings by top Ohio Republicans, Gov. John Kasich and U.S. Sen. Rob Portman.
“Senator Portman and Governor Kasich, who both would like to run for president, put a lot of pressure on the committee,” wrote Washburne, referring to the 13-member selection panel. “At the end of the day, it was all business, which is political business.”
http://www.dallasnews.com/...
So, if he's right, the Ohio Governor and Ohio Senator who might have Presidential aspirations trumped the Texas Governor and Texas Senator who clearly have Presidential aspirations. And if he's wrong, it still says how a major GOP mover and shaker (from Texas!) perceives the "importance" of the contestants from the two states.