Who is paying for the 2024 DNC in Chicago?
The price tag for political conventions is usually in the tens of millions, with the Milwaukee host committee for last month's Republican National Convention raising upwards of $85 million dollars for the multi-day event.
And the Democratic counterpart, slated for next week in Chicago, is upping the ante: the convention's host committee has raised nearly $95 million for the event, which is the most any host committee has ever raised for a convention of either party, according to POLITICO.
So where is all that money coming from? It turns out we won't know for sure until months after both conventions wrap up.
Here's why the DNC host committee sponsors aren't public yet and what we do know about who's funding the Chicago convention.
Why aren't the DNC host committee sponsors public?
Up until 2012, national party conventions were publicly funded with taxpayer dollars. In 2014, however, former President Barack Obama signed legislation allowing political conventions to create host committees to help organize and fundraise for the events every four years.
The host committees, which are non-profit and nonpartisan organizations, are legally required to disclose their donors — but not until the convention is long over.
The committees must submit financial reports at least 20 days before the general presidential election, according to the Federal Election Commission. That means we won't see a full list of donors and donation amounts until mid-October for both the RNC and DNC host committees.
In addition to financial donations, the host committee can accept in-kind donations or services from retail businesses, labor organizations and the local and state government of the convention's host city.
Which Wisconsin-based companies are (and aren't) supporting the DNC?
Though the DNC host committee hasn't released an official sponsor list, some organizations have already confirmed their support for the Chicago convention.
Molson Coors, the Chicago-based brewing company that produces Milwaukee’s famous Miller brand, is supporting both the 2024 RNC and DNC. The company did not share how much it had donated to each host committee but told the Journal Sentinel it gave “the same figure” to both groups this year.
Other companies supporting the DNC host committee include Peoples Gas, Archer Daniels Midland, Cboe Global Markets, CME Group, United Airlines, BMO, Clayco, McDonald's Microsoft, Pfizer and Lyst, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Some of the top donors to the 2020 DNC host committee are also likely to support the convention again. Given the convention's virtual format, the host committee raised under $43 million that year and projected a small deficit. Major contributors included the National Education Association, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Bank of America, Priorities USA and the Democratic Governors Association.
The Potawatomi Hotel & Casino was the second-highest donor, but the hotel's support was likely driven by Milwaukee being the host city.
In fact, several organizations with Wisconsin ties that supported both the 2020 DNC and 2024 RNC are sitting out this month's convention in Chicago. The Milwaukee Brewers and Northwestern Mutual, the Milwaukee-based financial services company, are among the previous sponsors that will not be supporting the Chicago DNC.
"Our 2020 and 2024 support was about the local economic impact and Milwaukee’s growing opportunity to host large conventions as a city," Northwestern Mutual spokesperson Julia Fennelly said in an email.
Who were the RNC host committee sponsors?
Unlike the DNC host committee, the Milwaukee-based host committee for last month's RNC posted a graphic of its "partners" ahead of the convention. This graphic likely doesn't represent the full slate of people and organizations who donated to the RNC, but the major contributors.
The partners ranged from local Milwaukee businesses to national corporations. These are some of the RNC host committee sponsors with Wisconsin ties:
Fiserv, the financial services technology company that's also the naming sponsor of Fiserv Forum, the main venue of the RNC
Forest County Potawatomi, a federally recognized tribe of Potawatomi people
3rd Street Market Hall, a food hall blocks from the convention sites
Visit Milwaukee, an organization promoting local tourism
Driftless Ranch, a hunting ranch in Prairie du Chien
Dynamic Events by David Caruso, a Milwaukee-based event planning company
Wisconsin Realtors Association, a statewide trade association headquartered in Madison
Foley and Lardner LLP, an international law firm headquartered in Milwaukee
Zizzo Group, a marketing agency in Milwaukee
American Conservation Coalition, a national organization advocating for a conservative energy and climate policy, founded and headquartered in Appleton
Majic Productions, an audiovisual equipment rental service based in Waukesha
Central Standard Craft Distillery, a distillery and kitchen in Milwaukee
Neenah Foundry, a national manufacturing company headquartered in Neenah
Neumann Companies, a real-estate development company in Pewaukee
Trade Hotel, a downtown hotel adjacent to Fiserv Forum
What are the DNC and RNC host committees?
Convention host committees are nonprofit, nonpartisan organizations working to ensure national political conventions run smoothly every four years. While the conventions are run by the national political party, the host committees are usually steered by local organizers. They serve as a liaison between the city, state and national political party.
In Milwaukee last month, the host committee's primary purpose was to secure venues, sign contracts and organize RNC programming. Donations from official host committee partners supported a welcome party for delegates, a convention concert and an off-site convention park in Milwaukee.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Who are the 2024 Chicago DNC host committee sponsors?
