New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio launched a new push Friday for Brooklyn to host the Democratic National Convention where the party's 2016 candidate will officially claim the nomination.
"The progressive spirit of New York City has never been stronger or more vibrant that it is today," de Blasio wrote in his letter presenting the bid to the Democratic National Committee, according to the New York Times. "We believe that this spirit can energize and captivate both the Democratic Party and the nation."
De Blasio proposed the convention be held at the Barclay's Center, the recently-built sports arena near Downtown Brooklyn that is not far from the mayor's house in Park Slope. Some other elements of the convention would "be spread across the city’s other four boroughs," the Times said.
Whether the bid will be successful is unclear. In the past two election cycles, the Democratic Party chose electorally competitive turf — North Carolina and Colorado — as opposed to solidly blue state territory like New York City. On the other hand, de Blasio has come to symbolize a new populist surge in the party. Along with Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and de Blasio, Democrats appear to be increasingly embracing topics like income inequality.
The front-runner in the Democratic contest, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, used to represent New York in the U.S. Senate and continues to call the state home.