GOP to limit convention attendance in Florida

The Republican Party will slash attendance at its marquis national convention in Jacksonville, Florida, next month as coronavirus cases spike across the state.

A letter from Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said attendance for the first three nights would be limited to 2,500 party delegates.

On the fourth and final night, when President Donald Trump formally accepts the party's nomination, delegates would be allowed a single guest, and alternate delegates will be admitted as well.

The crowd would likely be somewhere between six and seven thousand.

The event typically draws a far larger audience.

In years past party officials packed into stadium arenas in a show of support for their standard-bearer.

The downscaled RNC comes after the Republican Party abruptly shifted its convention from Charlotte to Jacksonville in June.

It did so after North Carolina's Democratic governor said the coronavirus meant he could not guarantee a full-capacity arena.

"We said we want to work with you but we cannot guarantee a full arena at the end of August."

[TRUMP RESPONDED]: "And unfortunately we're gonna probably be having no choice but to move the Republican convention to another location."

But the U.S. could not stop the pandemic. And the RNC could not outrun it.

McDaniel's letter said the changes were in response to state and local health guidelines.

She said the event would likely use both indoor and outdoor spaces, and that coronavirus testing and protective equipment would be available.

It did not say whether masks would be mandatory.

Cases have surged in Florida in recent days. The state has limited indoor gatherings to 50% of a venue’s capacity.