2 GOP Governors Offer to Host Republican Convention

Two GOP governors are offering up their states to host the Republican National Convention—a day after President Trump threatened to pull the convention out of North Carolina if that state’s Democratic governor doesn't assure him that the August gathering can go forward despite coronavirus fears. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp sent an open plea to Trump on Tuesday to consider his state as an alternate site for the quadrennial convention, which is set to gather more than 2,500 delegates and thousands more guests, press, and security officials, the AP reports. "With world-class facilities, restaurants, hotels, and workforce, Georgia would be honored to safely host the Republican National Convention," Kemp tweeted Tuesday.

Plans have been underway for more than a year to hold the convention in Charlotte, but Trump and national Republican officials have expressed concerns that local officials may not allow gatherings of that size during the pandemic. Kemp's offer was followed by one from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who told reporters Tuesday that he "would love" to have the GOP or even the Democratic convention, as either would bring millions of dollars to the state. The Democratic mayor of Atlanta said in a statement Tuesday that its reopening plan doesn’t mesh with Kemp’s offer. The city "is following a phased, data-driven approach to reopening. That plan does not contemplate hosting a large gathering event in August," Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said (More Republican National Convention stories.)