Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said he believes the party’s best bet for a smooth convention during the coronavirus pandemic is to host a digital event.
“I think that’s probably the smartest thing, and I’ve talked to some of the leadership. If there’s ways that they can guarantee that every delegate that’s coming in is COVID-free, and there’s ways to do that. … I think it could happen, but just my observation is that it could end up being a virtual event,” Evers told WKOW, an ABC affiliate in Madison, Wisconsin.
Democrats last week voted to give convention organizers “maximum flexibility” to move the date again or to change the format, size, or any other aspect to pull off a successful gathering.
The convention, originally scheduled for July in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was pushed back until Aug. 17-20 due to the outbreak. But states, including Wisconsin, are struggling to map out a timeline for when events attracting large crowds can be held again, even with social distancing precautions.
Evers’s response to the virus in Wisconsin has been hindered by staunch opposition from the Republican-controlled legislature. His decision to extend a stay-at-home order until May 26 was last week overturned by the Wisconsin Supreme Court after GOP lawmakers sued the governor and the state’s health secretary for executive overreach.
But Evers’s support of an online convention also chafes with the views of Milwaukee’s Democratic mayor, Tom Barrett. Barrett told the New York Times on Monday that Milwaukee was still eager to play host and is being “nimble” with organizers.
Meanwhile, the Republican National Convention is set to take place a week after its Democratic counterpart in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“Nearly 50,000 visitors — including delegates, members of the media and guests — are expected to gather to witness history as we re-nominate President Donald J. Trump,” the Republican National Committee wrote in an email last weekend, marking 100 days until the convention.
