RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. Photo: Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel and convention President and CEO Marcia Lee Kelly outlined the party's safety proposal for this summer's planned convention in Charlotte in a letter to North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on Thursday.
Why it matters: Earlier this week, Trump threatened to relocate the convention — which is expected to draw around 50,000 people — if the state's Democratic governor restricts capacity amid the coronavirus pandemic. Cooper has maintained that he will rely on state health officials to decide how a convention will be managed.
The state of play: The letter states that RNC officials "still do not have solid guidelines from the State and cannot in good faith, ask thousands of visitors to begin paying deposits and making travel plans without knowing the full commitment of the Governor, elected officials and other stakeholders in supporting the Convention."
The RNC's proposed safety protocols include:
- "Pre-travel health surveys" through a partnership with local health care providers.
- Health questionnaires delivered daily via app.
- All mandatory attendees will be subjected to thermal scans before taking "sanitized, pre-arranged transportation."
- Vast availability to hand sanitizer with "aggressive" sanitizing of communal areas.
- The Charlotte Convention Center will serve as "a mandatory hub for a final health care screening by health care officials."
- All attendees will have to pass a health check before entering the convention arena.
- Media suites and hospitality areas subject to food-service cleanings.
The RNC is requesting that Cooper approve the proposed guidelines.
No mention of face masks or social distancing were included in the letter. The RNC is asking Cooper to approve the proposal, and says that "if there are any additional guidelines to what is outlined above that we will be expected to meet, [Cooper will] need to let us know by Wednesday, June 3. Time is of the essence."