WASHINGTON D.C., (SPECTRUM NEWS) — Local delegates are still coming to terms with what will be a drastically different DNC National Convention in Wisconsin this year.
It would’ve been the first time since 1994 a city in the Midwest hosted the weeklong spectacle.
But the prospects of an economic and social boom in Milwaukee that would have come with hosting the event for the first time ever is now a sobering afterthought thanks to the COVID-19 outbreak.
“In the grand scheme of things, having a virtual convention versus an in-person convention seems like a big sacrifice but it’s really so clearly the right thing to do considering all the other sacrifices we have to make,” says delegate and Madison resident, Awais Khaleel.
Meanwhile, the RNC and President Donald Trump have been much more relaxed on restricting large gatherings.
The president recently held rallies in Oklahoma and Arizona and is adamant about pressing forward with an in-person, multi-day convention.
Milwaukee native and Wisconsin delegate Chris Walton doesn’t think presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s chances at beating Trump will be impacted by his willingness to follow the advice of medical experts.
“Everybody knows if this were a normal time period and he was just sitting in a basement trying to run a campaign, I think we’d be 50 points behind but this isn’t a normal campaign and everybody knows that. They know we can't have massive rallies," Walton says.
So, what will a Democratic National Convention look like in the time of coronavirus?
Organizers say it will largely be virtual but Biden has confirmed he will deliver the nomination acceptance speech in-person.
Will delegates be there to listen live? They say that they’re not sure.
“I’m sure whatever they do, it’s going to be a move that really prioritizes — God, it’s such a cliche but once in a while a cliche makes sense in the moment — they’re going to prioritize people over politics,” says Khaleel.