RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Republican National Committee on Wednesday unveiled plans to proceed with certain convention activities in Charlotte, even though President Donald Trump will deliver his nomination acceptance speech somewhere else.
The move is in response to growing concerns from Gov. Roy Cooper that the full capacity convention Trump had requested is "very unlikely" to happen in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Cooper wants the GOP to continue discussing a scaled-back convention, while Republicans are seeking assurances that more than 10 people will be allowed in a room.
Cooper's present executive order limits indoor gatherings to 10 people, and the Democratic governor believes "it's not time yet to enter into phase 3" of reopening the state.
"Due to the directive from the governor that our convention cannot go on as planned as required by our rules, the celebration of the president's acceptance of the Republican nomination will be held in another city," the Republican National Committee said in a statement. "Should the governor allow more than 10 people in a room, we still hope to conduct the official business of the convention in Charlotte."
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Dory MacMillan, a spokeswoman for Cooper, said in a statement that the governor "has been clear that the convention could be held with more than 10 people but that plans need to be in place for a scaled down convention with safety precautions. The state has asked for a plan from the RNC but instead has received a public demand for a guarantee of a full indoor convention without social distancing or protective measures."
The Republicans and the city signed a contract that went into effect in July 2018. Both sides are working to make sure the other holds up their end of the bargain.
City Attorney Patrick Baker met privately with City Council members Wednesday afternoon, and Charlotte vowed in a tweet on Tuesday that it would "be in contact with the attorneys for the RNC to understand their full intentions."
Republican governors in Georgia, Florida and Tennessee have called on Trump to move the convention to their states, and the national committee is scheduled today to visit Nashville.
Trump tweeted Tuesday night that he "would have showcased beautiful North Carolina to the World, and brought in hundreds of millions of dollars, and jobs, for the State," but that Cooper's refusal to guarantee crowds above 10 "forced" him to seek a different state to deliver his speech.
Mecklenburg County, which includes Charlotte, is one of the most populous and liberal parts of the state.
Michael Bitzer, a political scientist at Catawba College, noted former President Barack Obama held his 2012 convention in Charlotte but lost the state to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in 2012.
"Conventions don't really have as great of an impact as people think. The Democrats had a convention in Charlotte and the state went for Romney by two points in 2012."
A Section on 06/04/2020