After President Donald Trump announced the Republican National Convention would be moving this summer, it seems the four-day event has reportedly found a new home - the state of Florida.
The Washington Post reports Jacksonville has tentatively been settled to serve as the new host city for the event, according to three unnamed sources within the GOP who have been briefed on plans. The convention is scheduled to take place August 24 to 27.
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NBC 6 and NBC News have not confirmed this report.
The party has not released details as aides are reportedly working to determine whether the city has enough hotel space needed for the event, according to the Post.
Some routine and lower profile meetings would remain in the original host city – Charlotte, North Carolina – reportedly in an effort to help shield the party from lawsuits over moving larger events, including the expected re-nomination of Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.
The Governor of North Carolina, Democrat Roy Cooper, had said he would not give the GOP an exemption on rules banning large gatherings in the state during the coronavirus pandemic.
As late as last week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis - who represented a district in North Florida while a member of Congress - had said he would be open to hosting either party’s convention if they needed to be moved over concerns during the pandemic.
“My opinion is it should be a default yes, and as we get closer we’ll see how it goes,” DeSantis said last Wednesday during an event in Orlando. “This is almost three months off. I think we would be able to pull it off.”
If Jacksonville does serve as the host city, it would be the fifth time the Sunshine State has played host to a major party’s convention.
The GOP held their 1968 convention in Miami Beach while both the Republican and Democratic conventions in 1972 were also held in Miami Beach. The 2012 GOP convention was held in Tampa.
