Page 25 - bon-dia-aruba-20200527

A25
U.S. NEWS Wednesday 27 May 2020
GOP govs offer states as alternative RNC convention host

Continued from Front supported and sponsored
events have already been
Kemp’s offer was followed canceled in order to com-
by one from Florida Gov. ply with CDC guidelines.”
Ron DeSantis, who told re- David Shafer, chairman
porters at a Miami news of Georgia’s state Repu-
conference that he “would blican Party, said in a text
love” to have the GOP or message that he spoke to
even the Democratic con- Kemp on Tuesday morning.
vention, as either would “We have reached out to
bring millions of dollars to Republican National Com-
the state. The Republican mittee Chairman Ronna
governor said if Trump de- Romney to let her know
cides to move the GOP that, if North Carolina falls
convention, it presumably through, Georgia is ready
would have to abide by to help,” Shafer told The
any federal health guideli- Associated Press.
nes and Florida would do its “Under Governor Kemp,
part to uphold them. Georgia has led the nation
“The door is open, we want in safely reopening its eco-
to have the conversation, nomy,” Shafer said. “We
whether RNC, DNC, wha- have first class facilities, a
tever, because I think it will skilled workforce and a re-
be good for the people of Atlanta Gov. Brian Kemp makes a statement and answers questions from the media following a putation for hospitality se-
Florida,” DeSantis said. The tour of Fieldale Farms while visiting Gainesville, Ga., Friday, May 15, 2020. cond to none. We would
Democratic convention is Associated Press be proud to host the Repu-
scheduled to be held in Mil- we will be reluctantly for- mittee Chair Ronna McDa- going to have those discus- blican National Conven-
waukee, and party officials ced to find, with all of the niel said the president “is sions.” tion.” Kemp spokeswoman
have said they are evalua- jobs and economic deve- right to ask for assurances The Democratic mayor of Candice Broce declined
ting contingency options, lopment it brings, another from North Carolina” about Atlanta, Georgia’s capital to answer questions about
including a potential virtual Republican National Con- the convention. and by far its largest city, the hasty bid and instead
convention, as a result of vention site.” “We want to have it in said in a statement Tues- referred questions to Sha-
the virus. GOP officials say a deter- North Carolina, the pre- day that its reopening plan fer.
Over the weekend, Trump mination is needed in the sident wants to have it in doesn’t mesh with Kemp’s Georgia became a light-
complained that North coming weeks in order to North Carolina,” she told offer to hold the conven- ning rod for both criticism
Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper begin final preparations for Fox News on Tuesday mor- tion in Georgia. and praise when it was
was “unable to guarantee the convention. ning. “It’s just the governor. “Like North Carolina, the one of the first states in the
that by August we will be White House press secreta- He has to work with us. Eve- City of Atlanta is following nation to allow busines-
allowed full attendance in ry Kayleigh McEnany said ry state we talk to says we a phased, data-driven ses including tattoo par-
the arena.” the president is monitoring want to nominate the pre- approach to reopening. lors and bowling alleys to
He added that Republi- virus transmission data and sident here, but this gover- That plan does not con- reopen in late April. Trump
cans “must be immediately “wants to see this conventi- nor is up for reelection and template hosting a large criticized Kemp’s decision
given an answer by the Go- on take place and sees no hasn’t given us the reassu- gathering event in Au- at the time, saying “It’s just
vernor as to whether or not reason not to as the nation rances we need. We need gust,” Mayor Keisha Lance too soon,” but later said he
the space will be allowed begins to reopen.” to be able to move forward Bottoms said. “In fact, se- was only expressing con-
to be fully occupied. If not, Republican National Com- in a concrete way. We are veral long-standing City- cern about certain places,
like tattoo parlors, being
McConnell discusses reopened, adding: “I think
it’s wonderful.”
prospects for another As it tried to nail down con-
vention plans, the Trump
round of relief campaign announced it
was promoting two vete-
ran political aides to se-
my, the Senate's top lead- we need," McConnell said nior leadership roles. Bill
er said Tuesday. In his first during an appearance in Stepien, the former White
public appearances in his Lexington. "And that could House political director, will
home state of Kentucky well lead to yet another serve as deputy campaign
since March 13 due to the bill." manager, the campaign
pandemic, Senate Major- McConnell said another said. Stephanie Alexander,
In this May 19, 2020, photo, Senate Majority Leader Mitch ity Leader Mitch McCon- round of federal assis- a regional political direc-
McConnell of Ky., speaks with reporters after meeting with tor, will become the cam-
Senate Republicans at their weekly luncheon on Capitol Hill nell spoke at length about tance to state and local paign’s chief of staff.
in Washington. the prospects of another governments is possible,
Associated Press round of coronavirus relief but he stopped short of The pair bring additional
passing the Republican- committing to it. He ex- political experience to the
By BRUCE SCHREINER supporting millions thrown led Senate. "Obviously, a pressed concern about campaign’s upper eche-
Associated Press out of work, but surging lot of Americans have lost the financial plight faced lon, which is led by cam-
Faced with a collapsed debt means there are lim- their jobs, so we need to by cities, counties and paign manager Brad Pars-
job market, Congress its to the scope of federal make sure we have unem- states but added that the cale, a relative newcomer
needs to tend to unem- aid to help heal the coro- ployment insurance prop- mushrooming national to national politics who
ployment insurance funds navirus -damaged econo- erly funded for as long as debt is also a concern. q ran Trump’s digital effort in
2016.q