Hartford is known for its anemic level of registered Republicans.
But for one weekend -- albeit nearly a year away -- downtown will be the land of the state's Republicans, as between 3,000 and 4,000 party faithful will come to town for two days to hold their 2010 nominating convention.
"We're excited about it, it's a great venue for us," said Chris Healy, state party chairman. "We think it will be good for the city and we're excited to check out the science museum."
The convention will be May 21 and May 22, 2010, at the Connecticut Convention Center, Healy said, and it will serve to nominate candidates for statewide office, including U.S. Senate, governor, and constitutional officers.
Healy said the decision came down to price, and Hartford beat out its competitors.