GOP Scales Back Convention Plans, Relenting On Virus Restrictions

Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel, right, walks with White House senior adviser Jared Kushner on the South Lawn of the White House in May. McDaniel announced Thursday that the RNC would scale back its convention plans in Jacksonville, Fla. due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Alex Wong / Getty Images

The Republican Party announced Thursday morning that it is scaling back its upcoming nominating convention and will hold what party chair Ronna McDaniel is calling a “convention celebration” next month in Jacksonville, Fla.

Bowing to the realities of holding a mass gathering in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in Florida, which has seen a spike in new cases, attendance at the convention during its first few days, Aug. 24-26, will be limited to delegates only, which is a little more than 2,500 people.

On the final day of the Republican National Convention, Aug. 27, when President Trump will give his acceptance speech, each of those delegates will be able to have a guest, and alternate delegates will be able to attend. This will bring a total of around 7,000 people, an expected attendance in line with Trump’s one post-pandemic rally in Tulsa, Okla., last month.