Jul 2, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Herman Cain hospitalized for COVID-19 after attending Trump Tulsa rally

Herman Cain. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, 74, has been hospitalized after testing positive for the coronavirus less than two weeks after attending President Trump's rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Why it matters: Public health officials warned Trump that hosting a large-scale rally last month could bolster the spread of the coronavirus. The campaign did require temperature checks upon entry but did not require attendees to wear face masks. A tweet from Cain, who is the co-chairman of Black Voices for Trump, shows him not wearing a mask during the event.

  • Six Trump staffers who were part of the advance team in Tulsa tested positive for the coronavirus just hours before the rally. Two Trump staffers who attended the rally have since tested positive.

What they're saying: The Trump campaign said of Cain, per CNN, "Contact tracing was conducted after the Tulsa rally but we do not comment regarding the medical information of individuals. Regardless, Mr. Cain did not meet with the President."

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Why it matters: U.S. mail and election infrastructure are facing a test like no other this November, with a record-breaking number of mail-in ballots expected as Americans attempt to vote in the midst of a pandemic.

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