By midday, Floridians were making the state’s case, saying that if North Carolina can’t hold the event, the Sunshine State should.
“The Republican Party of Florida would welcome the opportunity to host the Republican National Convention. Florida is committed to ensuring a safe, secure and successful event for President Trump and all attendees,” asserted Chairman Joe Gruters Monday.
Gruters’ comments came hours after the President issued what amounted to a jumpball for the summer event’s location.
“I love the Great State of North Carolina, so much so that I insisted on having the Republican National Convention in Charlotte at the end of August,” Trump tweeted.
“Unfortunately, Democrat Governor Roy Cooper is still in Shutdown mood & unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed … to head to beautiful North Carolina in August. They must be immediately given an answer by the Governor as to whether or not the space will be allowed to be fully occupied. If not, we will be reluctantly forced to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site.”
VP Mike Pence, on Fox and Friends, floated Florida as a potential location, among with Georgia and Texas, two other states “farther along on reopening than North Carolina.”
Pence lauded Florida’s “tremendous progress on reopening,” adding that President Trump wants people to “come together in a safe and responsible venue,” and that the request to Gov. Cooper is “reasonable … given the immense preparations involved.”
If Florida is really in the mix and this isn’t just some sort of brinksmanship, Republicans around the state are suggesting their towns for the events.
The Republican Party of Duval County suggested, unsurprisingly, Jacksonville for the honor.
“Duval County is ready and open for business, Mr. President,” the local GOP asserted on Facebook.
Duval has hosted corona-era wrestling and Ultimate Fighting Championship productions in the city, albeit in empty arenas.
This article first appeared at Florida Politics.
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This article appears in May 21-27, 2020.