The Republican National Committee is poised to award the party’s presidential nominating convention to Jacksonville, Florida, after pulling the event from Charlotte, North Carolina, over a disagreement with Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.
The RNC confirmed Wednesday morning that Jacksonville, led by a Republican mayor in a state with a Republican governor, was the “front-runner” to host the event, with GOP officials in northeast Florida telling the Washington Examiner they expect President Trump to accept the 2020 nomination there. Multiple cities are competing for the Republican convention after Cooper declined to guarantee the RNC it could host a traditional gathering unencumbered by stringent coronavirus social distancing protocols.
“Jacksonville is a front-runner, sure,” an RNC spokesman said. “Several cities are still being considered. No final decision has been made.”
A GOP official in northeast Florida sounded optimistic that the decision had already been made. “Jacksonville is the spot,” that Republican said.
The challenge with Jacksonville is one of capacity.
It has viable venues to host convention activities but lacks hotel accommodations and meeting space compared with other major cities. When the NFL hosted the Super Bowl in Jacksonville 15 years ago, it relied on cruise ships to function as hotel space — an unpalatable option in light of lingering concerns about the health risks posed by the coronavirus.
The RNC, led by Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, is continuing to tour other cities and hear pitches from local Republicans vying to host the Aug. 24–27 convention. On that list are Dallas, Phoenix, Savannah, Georgia, Las Vegas, Nashville, New Orleans, and the Florida cities of Orlando and Tampa.
