The Republican National Committee will restrict attendance at its Jacksonville convention next month in the midst of Florida’s coronavirus spike, President Ronna McDaniel wrote in a letter Thursday to committee members.
Admission to the convention sites will be limited to delegates for the first three days, while on the last day, when President Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech, delegates will be able to bring a guest and alternate delegates will be able to attend, wrote the president. .
McDaniel said Republicans plan to use multiple locations, both indoors and outdoors, during the course of the convention while implementing a series of health protocols, such as on-site temperature controls and available coronavirus testing, to deal with the pandemic, that is springing up through Florida.
The restrictions, first reported by Politician, come after the RNC withdrew most of the Charlotte, North Carolina convention, because that state’s Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, was reluctant to host a full convention in amid concerns about the coronavirus. Since then, Republicans have encountered an increasingly severe pandemic in Florida.
“When we made these changes, we hoped we could plan a traditional celebration of the convention that we are all used to,” McDaniel wrote. “However, adjustments must be made to meet state and local health guidelines.”
“I want to make it clear that we still intend to host a fantastic convention celebration in Jacksonville,” he added. “We can come together and host a premier event that celebrates the incredible accomplishments of the President Trump administration and his new nomination for a second term, while also doing so in a safe and responsible manner.”
McDaniel’s letter comes when Jacksonville and the broader state of Florida have experienced a record COVID-19 case and, as some Republicans say, will not attend.
Speaking to Greta Van Susteren last week, Trump seemed more open to the idea of having a small event.
“It really depends on the moment,” said the president. “Look, we are very flexible, we can do many things, but we are very flexible.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden will accept the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination at a near-virtual convention in Milwaukee a week before Republicans meet in Jacksonville. Delegates were told to stay home due to health problems.
