U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) expressed his pleasure that the Republican National Convention (RNC) has chosen Houston as the site of its 2028 gathering in an Aug. 25 tweet on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
"Looking forward to welcoming the 2028 RNC Convention to Houston,” Cornyn said. “Texas continues to be a model for the nation of individual freedom, conservative values, and economic growth, and there’s no better place to experience all the Lone Star State has to offer than the Bayou City."
Houston NBC affiliate KPRC Channel 2 reported that the bid for Houston, the largest city in Texas and the fourth-largest in the nation, bested those from Nashville and Miami. The convention is likely to take place in either July or August 2028, with thousands of people expected to attend, the station reported.
"After a smart business decision made by the RNC last spring to allow us to select the next convention city earlier than ever, we are looking forward to seeing Houston in the spotlight come 2028,” RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel was quoted as saying in the news report. “The entire RNC membership is eager to work with Governor Greg Abbott, Mayor Sylvester Turner, the Houston Host Committee, and Houston First Corporation to follow in Milwaukee’s footsteps by delivering an incredible convention for our party.”
KPRC said the convention’s impact on the local economy could be in the neighborhood of $200 million. Turner is quoted in the news report as saying Houston is excited to showcase its “unsurpassed hospitality." Turner, a Democrat, said, "We thank the RNC for selecting Houston to host the 2028 Republican National Convention.”
At the beginning of August, Axios reported that the Houston City Council approved a framework agreement to host the 2028 RNC and provide organizers and attendees with the necessary services. Houston last hosted the convention in 1992 at the now-defunct Astrodome.