Vote For Conventions (Cleveland Edition) – Vote4Energy
Mark Green
Posted July 15, 2016
When approximately 4,700 delegates and alternates gather in Cleveland next week for the Republican National Convention, energy will play a major role – powering the Quicken Loans Arena, transporting delegates and support staff to and from “The Q,” running television broadcast equipment, cooking food, supporting high-tech communications and much more.
Think about energy’s role this way: Without modern energy supplied by oil and natural gas, the event would bear a strong resemblance to the GOP’s 1860 convention, when Abraham Lincoln was nominated at the Wigwam in Chicago.
Good news for Cleveland convention-goers, assembling in the heart and heat of the summer: “The Q” will be cool and comfortable, well-lit, with sophisticated amplification so every person in the arena – as well as a global television and internet audience – can hear every word from the stage. All powered by energy.
Now’s an excellent time to point out that America’s energy revolution has been very good to Ohio. Natural gas has become the state’s second largest energy source, and more of that energy is being produced in Ohio with natural gas production increasing dramatically in the past few years. Virtually all of that production is from the Utica shale play, developed with safe fracking. Increased use of natural gas has helped lower the state’s carbon emissions from the electric power sector 25.6 percent.
OK, some interesting tidbits about the GOP convention:
- This will be the Republican Party’s fourth convention in Ohio. Others: Cincinnati in 1876, nominating state favorite son and eventual presidential winner Rutherford B. Hayes; Cleveland in 1924, nominating President Calvin Coolidge for a full term (“Silent Cal” was vice president when President Warren Harding died in 1923); Cleveland in 1936, nominating Kansas Gov. Alf Landon, who later won just two states in the general election against President Franklin Roosevelt.
- The Republicans’ first convention was held in 1856 at Philadelphia’s Musical Fund Hall. Famed explorer John C. Fremont was the fledgling party’s first standard-bearer, losing the general election to James Buchanan.
- The Cleveland convention will host about 2,470 delegates and 2.302 alternate delegates from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and five territories. The biggest delegates are California (172), Texas (155) and Florida (99).
- About 15,000 credentialed media members are expected to attend.
So enjoy the convention next week – as well as the Democrats’ confab the week after next. Check out a new video that sets the stage for Cleveland:
About The Author
Mark Green joined API after a career in newspaper journalism, including 16 years as national editorial writer for The Oklahoman in the paper’s Washington bureau. Previously, Mark was a reporter, copy editor and sports editor at an assortment of newspapers. He earned his journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and master’s in journalism and public affairs from American University. He and his wife Pamela have two grown children and six grandchildren.