President Donald Trump has officially decided he will not accept the Republican nomination in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The president's decision, announced in a late night tweet, is the result of Trump wanting to host a more traditional convention, while Gov. Roy Cooper worried about COVID-19 concerns.
...millions of dollars, and jobs, for the State. Because of @NC_Governor, we are now forced to seek another State to host the 2020 Republican National Convention.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2020
Gov. Cooper said in response "protecting public health and safety during this pandemic is a priority."
We have been committed to a safe RNC convention in North Carolina and it’s unfortunate they never agreed to scale down and make changes to keep people safe. Protecting public health and safety during this pandemic is a priority.
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) June 3, 2020
Where could the convention go?
A number of US cities have been floated as possible alternatives, and it is likely republicans will chose a state run by a republican governor.
Nashville, Las Vegas, Orlando, and Jacksonville are possible cities. Arizona and Georgia are also being privately mentioned.
Republican officials confirmed Nashville, Tennessee will be toured later this week.
The convention is scheduled for August 24-27.
Could Charlotte still have some role?
The Republican National Convention and the City of Charlotte have a contract in place to host the event. As a result, a portion of the convention may still take place there, although it remains unclear.
Charlotte officials tweeted out their concern late Tuesday:
We have a contract in place with the RNC to host the convention and the City Attorney will be in contact with the attorneys for the RNC to understand their full intentions.
— City of Charlotte (@CLTgov) June 3, 2020
