2020 Republican National Convention

In August, Election Central summarized the Democratic National Convention. Last week, it was the Republicans’ turn in the spotlight. The Republican National Convention was held in Charlotte, North Carolina, from August 24 to 27. For four days, a long and wide-ranging list of speakers spoke about everything from COVID-19, to racism and protests, to impeachment. Election Central takes a look at some key moments from the convention.

Day 1: Rally the Base

The official purpose of a national convention is to nominate a candidate to run for president. Another important goal is to getvoters and volunteers motivated for the final weeks of the election campaign. The first night of the Republican National Convention did just that, as speakers focused on energizing their core supporters by describing their fears of putting Democrats in charge.

Key speakers for the night included former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley; Wisconsin Senator Tim Scott, and President Trump as well. Senator Scott’s speech did more than just promote the president by focusing on Republican Party policies and programs.

Day 2: An Unprecedented Night

The convention’s second night seemed more positive. First Lady Melania Trump directly addressed the COVID-19 pandemic. The First Lady sympathized with families who had lost loved ones because of the coronavirus. Two of Trump’s children—Eric and Tiffany–spoke as well. Larry Kudlow, the president’s top economic adviser said that the nation has turned a corner and is beginning to improve again economically. The list of speakers also included younger Republicans and those from more diverse racial backgrounds.

For the first time ever, a citizenship ceremony and a presidential pardon were held at a party convention. This created controversy, as did the fact that the president used the White House as a stage during a convention. Some people felt that these actions crossed the line between campaigning and presidential duties while others pointed out that no convention has been held during a pandemic such as the one we are experiencing.

Day 3: The Case for Trump

The third night of the convention aimed to convince moderate voters to choose Trump over Biden in November. Vice President Mike Pence described Democratic nominee Joe Biden as too tolerant of the protests focused on police violence and racial inequalities in the nation’s legal system. Pence also praised the president for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Several women, including White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, spoke about how they feel that the president stands up for women, both personally and in the workplace.

Day 4: Closing Night

Trump officially accepted his party’s nomination for president on the convention’s final night. He claimed that his administration has been successful at fighting COVID-19; that he has done more than any other president except for Abraham Lincoln for people of color. He stated that he alone stands between a successful United States and radicalism that Democrats would bring if Biden were elected. Daughter Ivanka Trump also spoke about her father, saying how personally affected he is by the challenges currently facing the country.

Dig Deeper What do you think of the perception that the president mixed politics with his official duties? How have past sitting presidents handled this challenge?