Six Utahns are in Charlotte, North Carolina, for the Republican National Convention Monday. Normally, around 80 Utah Republicans would attend, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the convention has been scaled down. Those that are in Charlotte will vote on behalf of the entire delegation.
Delegates were required to get tested before heading to Charlotte, and throughout their stay they must wear masks and track their symptoms.
“I have no doubt that there will be very strict ways that they're going to be able to prevent health challenges,” Utah Republican delegate and former gubernatorial candidate Aimee Winder Newton said before heading out. “I feel good about that.”
This is Winder Newton’s second time as a national delegate, and she said she’ll miss the energy of a normal convection.
“It's kind of a disappointment that we don't get to have the big party celebration that we normally do,” she said. “But under the circumstances, it's the right call. “
The convention is also a place to network and fundraise, said Utah Republican Party Chair Derek Brown, and many delegates are missing out on that. So, the state party is finding ways to use the energy of those who couldn’t make the trip to Charlotte.
“What we've done is we've transferred this into an opportunity for those delegates to get involved in our local races and to help out candidates in a lot of them, instead of being at a convention,” Brown said.
The six delegates in Charlotte will vote Monday to nominate President Donald Trump for the party’s ticket. Utah 4th Congressional District Candidate Burgess Owens is scheduled to speakon Wednesday.
