RNC Announces Earlier Date For Republican National Convention

The Republican National Committee announced on Wednesday that it will hold the convention where it will choose the party's next nominee for president in mid-July 2016, considerably earlier than the event has been held in the past.

The Republican National Convention will be held from July 18 to July 21 in Cleveland, Ohio. RNC chairman Reince Priebus pushed up the convention in an effort to give the party more time to unite behind its presidential candidate going into the November elections. In a statement, Priebus said that the earlier convention would allow the GOP candidate to use funds that are inaccessible until the candidate is officially chosen.

The 2012 Republican National Convention was held from August 27 to August 30. Priebus has said that 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney's inability to access party funds until he was officially nominated as the party's candidate in late August hurt his bid against President Barack Obama.

"This is a historic move that will give the GOP nominee a leg up on winning the White House," Priebus said in Wednesday's statement.

Priebus has also said that he would like to reduce the number of debates during the GOP primary.

Democrats have said that they were considering hosting the Democratic National Convention the week of July 18, July 22 or August 22. Philadelphia, New York City and Columbus, Ohio are all finalists to host the convention.

CORRECTION: This piece has been updated to note Romney became the GOP's presidential nominee in August, not November.