Jul 6, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Chuck Grassley opts out of attending GOP convention over coronavirus concerns

Marisa Fernandez

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) told reporters Monday that he will not attend the Republican National Convention in Jacksonville this August due to coronavirus concerns, the Des Moines Register reports.

Why it matters: It's the 86-year-old's first time skipping the party's convention since he was elected to the Senate in 1980, and it underscores broader concerns about holding the mass gathering in a state where coronavirus cases are surging.

The big picture: Florida has surpassed 200,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in total and is now seeing more than 10,000 new cases a day.

58% of Jacksonville voters oppose the GOP's move to hold the main portions of its convention in their city — a decision made after North Carolina's governor told the party that it wouldn't be able to hold a full-scale convention in Charlotte due to health risks.
Last week, Jacksonville required the use of face masks indoors and in public to help curb the spread of the virus.

What he's saying: "Going to a place where the governor feels that it’s safer is probably the right thing to do if you want to have a convention. And I think we should have a convention, but I think you should do whatever you can to make it as safe as possible so that would mean with face masks and with social distancing," Grassley said.

Go deeper: Most Jacksonville voters oppose moving Republican convention to city

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Chuck Grassley opts out of attending GOP convention over coronavirus concerns

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