A.G. Gancarski
GOP officials are beginning to worry that the 2020 Republican National Convention is a no-go for North Carolina given a lack of guidance from the state’s Democratic Governor.
The latest piece of evidence: an internal email from Richard Walters, Chief of Staff of the national party, suggesting that plans are on hold because of a lack of guidance from the Tarheel State on whether a full-occupancy arena will be permitted in Charlotte this summer.
Walters noted that Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and Convention President and CEO Marcia Lee Kelly sent a letter to Gov. Roy Cooper “asking for assurances from the state that the convention will be allowed to take place.”
“At this point we do not feel comfortable asking attendees to make flight and hotel reservations when we have a Governor who won’t give us assurances the event can take place, and current North Carolina guidelines state that a gathering of only a few people is allowed,” Walters added.
The letter from McDaniel and Kelly noted that the convention “could help North Carolina regain its economic footing,” but only if conditions were met, including screenings and thermal scans at multiple points daily before entry to the venue.
Cooper was given until June 3 to respond.
The communication comes as President Donald Trump has vacillated on North Carolina as a convention site, first floating a move on Twitter, then saying he had “zero interest” in moving the event, and then telling Cooper that he had “one week” to clarify whether the state could deliver the convention Trump expects.
Florida, as much as any state, has made clear its interest in the event.
Gov. Ron DeSantis offered enthusiastic advocacy for Florida on Tuesday as a “plug and play” Plan B for the GOP.
“Florida would love to have the RNC. Heck, I’m a Republican, it would be good for us to have the DNC,” DeSantis said, citing the “major economic impact of events like that.”
“The Republican Party of Florida would welcome the opportunity to host the Republican National Convention. Florida is committed to ensuring a safe, secure and successful event for President Trump and all attendees,” asserted RPOF Chairman Joe Gruters Monday.
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, the former head of the Republican Party of Florida, said his city could host if needed. And if Florida is the move, it may be, as another major metro said no.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman balked at the idea of hosting on such short notice in the Tampa Bay area.
4 comments
Frankie M.
May 28, 2020 at 10:22 pm
But I already booked the Biltmore for that week dammit!
DisplacedCTYankee
May 29, 2020 at 3:59 am
Want the worst Covid-19 national outbreak possible? Easy. Just fly in people from all 50 states to pack together in an arena with no masks (these are Republicans, after all, for whom masks violate their “liberty”). Let them all scream and shout for a few days, spewing their exhalations hither and yon. Then send them all back home. How many will be taking infections with them? Oh, ask Trump. He knows everything.
Rmartin
May 29, 2020 at 4:11 am
The Trumpians filling the presidents lead , because a democrat governor in n.c., and a stay at home order doesn’t set well with trump and FLorida has protege governor Desantis who’s doing what he tells him to do open the State up and spread the deadly virus,republicans can pack the Tampa convention center and ignored 6ft rule if they want to catch the deadly virus
Ocean Joe
May 29, 2020 at 7:27 pm
A pandemic…let me dither awhile and ignore the science. A convention? Let’s go for it no matter what and you better give me an answer RIGHT NOW or I will throw a temper tantrum and move it to Florida where nobody is concerned even though yesterday 1200 new cases of corona popped up.
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