Republicans in multiple states battle to lure GOP convention after party exits Charlotte – 6/3/2020

(Source: Washington Examiner)

Top Republicans in a half-dozen states are scrambling to land the August convention to renominate President Trump after party officials abruptly pulled out of North Carolina because Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper insisted on limiting festivities due to the coronavirus.

Hoping to capitalize on Charlotte’s loss, Republican leaders in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Tennessee, and Texas were furiously working the phones Wednesday, competing to convince the Republican National Committee they are best equipped to host a quadrennial presidential nominating convention that meets Trump’s standards. In-person and virtual site visits by RNC officials are underway and expected to continue next week.

“I would like Arizona to be a possibility,” Republican Rep. Debbie Lesko told the Washington Examiner. “It’s a swing state. I think it would be a logical place to come.”

Late Tuesday, the RNC announced it would abandon Charlotte after two years of planning because of a dispute with Cooper over the size and scope of the convention. Claiming concern the gathering would spark a resurgence of coronavirus infections, the governor declined to guarantee the RNC that it would be permitted to fill the Spectrum Center arena to capacity or take full advantage of hospitality venues, such as restaurants and meeting space.

Lesko has since been in contact with White House and RNC officials, pitching Glendale, Arizona. The community, adjacent to Phoenix, is in her district, run by a Republican mayor, and home to a football stadium and hockey arena. Lesko also enlisted Rep. Andy Biggs, another Arizona Republican, to reach out to Trump directly. Deciding where to move the convention appears to be a joint project among the Trump campaign, the RNC, and senior convention staff.

“It’s a three-headed monster,” Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Scott Golden said. “The convention team is the one that is sort of on ground trying to figure out what the options are.”