Northeast Republican Leadership Conference Underway In Philadelphia
By Kristen Johanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The 2015 Northeast Republican Leadership Conference kicked off it's three-day conference, right here in Philadelphia.
Former New York Governor George Pataki was the first of many Presidential candidates scheduled to speak over the next few days. Other speakers include Karl Rove, Scott Walker and Chris Christie.
Pennsylvania GOP Chairman Rob Gleason says the event is here because Pennsylvania will be a battleground state in the next election.
"In 1988 was the last time a Republican carried Pennsylvania for President, and that was George Herbert Walker Bush. So it's been quite a while since we carried Pennsylvania, we got close a couple times with his son who ran, but close is only good in horseshoes not in politics."
The Democratic Party will hold their National Convention in Philadelphia next year. Gleason says Republicans hope to carry the state.
"We hope this is it for us to push it over for 2016, and a Democrat has never become President of the United States without carrying Pennsylvania, so this is very important to the national party, to win Pennsylvania."
