WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats plan to hold their 2012 nominating convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, selecting to fete President Barack Obama in a newly competitive presidential battleground in the conservative-leaning South.
The selection signaled that Obama plans to aggressively compete in traditionally Republican states that he won during his first presidential campaign by cobbling together a diverse cross-section of voters. And the apparent theme — The People’s Convention — indicated that the president will try to rekindle the grass-roots flavor of his ground-breaking 2008 bid.
First Lady Michelle Obama disclosed the selection to campaign supporters in an e-mail Tuesday, another step in the president’s recent efforts to ramp up his re-election preparations.
She praised Charlotte as one of the fastest-growing cities in the South and “home to innovative, hardworking folks with big hearts and open minds. And of course, great barbecue.”
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She signaled that the gathering would be “a grassroots convention for the people” and promised to finance the convention differently than has been done in the past but provided no specifics on either point.
A personally popular incumbent, Obama is virtually assured of being nominated again; he faces no serious primary challenger.
In an e-mail to backers, Tim Kaine, the party chairman, answered speculation that Obama would choose a different running mate for 2012, saying the party was looking forward to nominating both Obama and Vice President Joe Biden for a second term.
Democrats will hold their convention the week of Sept. 3, 2012. A week earlier, Republicans will nominate their candidate in Tampa, Florida, another important presidential state, after a primary fight to sort out a potentially crowded Republican field.
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Associated Press Writers Mike Baker in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Jim Salter in St. Louis contributed to this report.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.