Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens criticizes DNC after city left off shortlist for 2028 Democratic convention

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens accused the Democratic National Committee of abandoning “South” and Black voters after Atlanta was not included in the DNC’s shortlist to host the party’s 2028 presidential convention, according to a report published Thursday by The Washington Times Politics.

Dickens said the decision was a rebuke, framing it as the latest example of the party narrowing its attention away from communities he represents. He did not cite, in the report, a specific policy change or binding commitment from the DNC tied to the convention site selection process.

The report said Dickens made the remarks after the DNC failed to include Atlanta in the shortlist for the convention, which the report characterizes as part of the party’s selection steps ahead of the 2028 cycle. The story did not name other shortlisted cities or detail scoring criteria used by the DNC.

Dickens’s comments add to a broader thread of scrutiny that can arise around major party conventions, including questions about which cities receive the expected economic and logistical benefits associated with large national events and which regions and constituencies the parties prioritize as they plan for future presidential campaigns.

The report did not provide a direct statement from the DNC explaining the committee’s rationale for leaving Atlanta off the shortlist, nor did it describe any formal appeal or next procedural step for the city.

For Atlanta, the practical impact of not being selected for consideration would be limited to the scope of convention-related planning and associated spending, which typically include city services, security coordination, venue arrangements, and public communications efforts tied to hosting. The full extent of potential costs or contractual obligations for a city can vary depending on whether preliminary agreements were entered.

The DNC convention host-selection timeline for 2028, including when final sites are determined and whether cities can be reconsidered, was not detailed in the report. As of the publication of the report, the central facts remained Dickens’s public accusation and the reported absence of Atlanta from the shortlist.