The city is seeking to host the 2016 Democratic National Convention, proposing Brooklyn’s Barclays Center as the centerpiece arena for the political gathering.
The New York Times first reported the news on Friday.
In a letter sent to the Democratic National Committee on Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio pitched the city as a stronghold of Democratic values.
“The progressive spirit of New York City has never been stronger or more vibrant than it is today,” he wrote to DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schulz. “The values of the Democratic Party — inclusion, diversity, compassion — are part of our city’s spirit.”
Holding the convention in New York City could make a lot of sense from a variety of political angles: Hillary Rodham Clinton, long seen as a likely presidential candidate for the party, has made it her home base; and de Blasio has become something of a star among the resurgent left of the party.
Both de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo worked in the White House under President Bill Clinton.
Fifteen cities were invited to submit bids to host the convention by Friday, the deadline.
