RNC searching for alternative to Charlotte as North Carolina governor refuses to allow full convention
by David M. Drucker
| June 02, 2020 03:20 PM
The Republican National Committee is searching for a new site for the August Republican convention even as the party holds out hope that arrangements can be made with North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper to keep the event in Charlotte.
"We hope to still conduct the business of our convention in Charlotte, but we have an obligation to our delegates and our nominee to begin visiting the multiple cities and states who have reached out in recent days about hosting an historic event to show that America is open for business," RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel wrote in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
Alternatives that are expected to receive site visits by RNC officials include Nashville, Las Vegas, and Florida cities Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa. Other major cities, including some in Texas, could also be on the list if the convention is yanked from Charlotte.
The RNC and Cooper, a Democrat, have been negotiating the size and scope of the GOP convention, which is scheduled for Aug. 24-27. Concerned that a large gathering could spark another coronavirus outbreak, the governor has demanded more information from the RNC regarding plans to hold a scaled-down convention that honors social distancing protocols. The RNC is asking for Cooper to greenlight a traditional convention that would fill the city's Spectrum Center arena and permit restaurants and other hospitality venues to operate at full capacity to accommodate the thousands of people the event typically draws.
In a letter to McDaniel on Tuesday, Cooper said he could not approve the sort of traditional convention the RNC is asking for, explaining that he needed contingencies for a reduced event in case there was a second wave of the coronavirus three months from now. "The people of North Carolina do not know what the status of COVID-19 will be in August, so planning for a scaled-down convention with fewer people, social distancing and face coverings is a necessity," the governor wrote. "We are happy to continue to talking to you about what a scaled-down convention would look like."
The RNC has given Cooper until Wednesday to approve a full convention attended by tens of thousands of people from across the country, as demanded by Trump. It was unclear whether McDaniel planned to cut off negotiations with Cooper if the deadline was not met. A spokesman for the RNC declined to elaborate.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/rnc-searching-for-alternative-to-charlotte-as-north-carolina-governor-refuses-to-allow-full-convention
