In the wake of President Trump threatening to move the economy-boosting GOP convention from the state of North Carolina if the governor cannot guarantee all invitees will be allowed to attend the event, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia has offered to host the convention in his state.
“With world-class facilities, restaurants, hotels, and workforce, Georgia would be honored to safely host the Republican National Convention,” Kemp tweeted on Tuesday. “We hope you will consider the Peach State, @realdonaldtrump!”
With world-class facilities, restaurants, hotels, and workforce, Georgia would be honored to safely host the Republican National Convention. We hope you will consider the Peach State, @realdonaldtrump!
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) May 26, 2020
On Monday, President Trump issued a barrage of tweets ripping North Carolina’s Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper for not guaranteeing that the GOP would be able to operate at full capacity when the convention opens in late August.
“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 [and] unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed full attendance in the Arena.”
The president said that this uncertainty creates a problem by essentially forcing the GOP to spend millions of dollars preparing for an event without a guarantee it will actually go according to plan.
“In other words, we would be spending millions of dollars building the Arena to a very high standard without even knowing if the Democrat Governor would allow the Republican Party to fully occupy the space,” Trump said. “Plans are being made by many thousands of enthusiastic Republicans, and others, 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,” he continued. “If not, we will be reluctantly forced to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site.”
“This is not something I want to do,” he concluded. “Thank you, and I LOVE the people of North Carolina!”
…full attendance in the Arena. In other words, we would be spending millions of dollars building the Arena to a very high standard without even knowing if the Democrat Governor would allow the Republican Party to fully occupy the space. Plans are being….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 25, 2020
…to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site. This is not something I want to do. Thank you, and I LOVE the people of North Carolina!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 25, 2020
Though Gov. Cooper has not personally responded to the president’s tweet, The Charlotte Observer urged the governor to call President Trump’s bluff and not allow the RNC to move forward with the convention, arguing that it’s better to be safe than sorry.
“If the president wants a guarantee right now, Cooper should call his bluff with the only answer he can provide right now: No,” asserted the publication.
“The alternative – giving an unqualified nod to the convention – is untenable,” it continued. “No one, including Trump and Cooper, knows what COVID-19 will look like late this summer. It’s possible North Carolina could see the kind of coronavirus progress that allows for a large-scale indoor event to be safely held here. It’s just as possible that loosening restrictions in May and June could result in a spike of infections in July and August, and that the convention will be unsafe for Charlotte and its global guests.”
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