Milwaukee will host a Republican presidential primary debate, RNC chair Ronna McDaniel confirms

Corrinne Hess and Bill Glauber, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Along with the 2024 Republican National Convention, Milwaukee will also host a presidential primary debate, bringing even more national exposure to the city.

After some speculation, newly re-elected Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel confirmed Thursday a debate will be a precursor to the 2024 convention.

"You should be able to expect that we'll have a debate here in Milwaukee," McDaniel said, during the host committee kick off event at 3rd Street Market Hall.

McDaniel wouldn't say if the debate would be the first for the candidates.

Last week, RNC host committee secretary Gerard Randall told AM 1130 host Dan O'Donnell that "we are also prepping for one of the national debates, presidential debates," but O'Donnell later tweeted that a number of Republican officials called to tell him no decision had been made yet about whether Milwaukee will host a Republican presidential debate.

When McDaniel was asked about it Thursday, she laughed and said the host committee was "groaning" but then confirmed a debate would happen in the city.

It follows a similar pattern to 2016, when Cleveland hosted the Republican National Convention in mid-July of that year. Republicans kicked off the presidential debate cycle in August 2015 in Cleveland.

During that same cycle, Milwaukee hosted a GOP debate in November 2015 at the Milwaukee Theatre. In 2016, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders debated at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

A Democratic presidential primary debate was also held in Milwaukee in 2004.

More:What we know so far about the 2024 Republican Convention in Milwaukee

More:How Milwaukee landed the 2024 Republican National Convention

Corrinne Hess can be reached on Twitter @corrihess or at chess@gannett.com.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee to host GOP presidential debate, as well as 2024 convention