Grassley is also the longest-serving Republican in the Senate and plays the role of president pro tempore, ranking him third in the line of presidential succession, after the vice president and speaker of the House.
But health experts, and Republican officials, have voiced alarm at a recent surge in coronavirus cases in Florida.
“We clearly have not gotten over it,” Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida told CNBC last month. “So I think everyone is concerned when they read about cases, the number of cases increases.”
The party signed a contract to hold the convention in Charlotte, so it is required to hold a portion of the convention in the city of North Carolina, but the main event will take place in Florida.
The Des Moines Registry reported that this will be the first time in 40 years that Grassley has not attended the convention and that the senator said he has attended everyone since his election to the Senate in 1980.
CNN’s Manu Raju, Kate Sullivan and Elizabeth Cohen contributed to this report.
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