The Republican National Convention will formally nominate President Donald Trump as the Republican candidate for the 2020 presidential election.
The convention will look a lot different than most other years, as the coronavirus pandemic has forced the Republican Party to hold its event largely online. The Democratic National Convention was already also held virtually.
Here’s what to know about the Republican National Convention, including how to watch a livestream of the convention online.
When is the Republican Convention?
The Republican National Convention takes place Monday, August 24, through Thursday, August 27. The main convention program takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. PT each night.
How to watch the Republican Convention on cable television
The following channels will be covering the convention:
- C-SPAN
- ABC
- CBS
- NBC
- CNN
- MSNBC
- Fox News
- PBS News
How to watch the Republican Convention without television
The convention will also be streamed on the RNC’s social media pages on Facebook and YouTube. The RNC’s Twitch channel will also stream the event.
Where is the Republican Convention taking place?
The convention will be held in a variety of places due to changes forced by the coronavirus pandemic.
The convention was first moved to Jacksonville, Florida, but due to a spike in coronavirus cases in the state, the convention was again moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. The convention is officially at the Charlotte Convention Center, where delegates will gather in person on Monday to nominate the president formally. The Republican National Committee Executive Committee voted to reduce the number of in-person delegates from 2,500 to 336.
Most of the speeches will take place in various parts of Washington, D.C. The Republicans will also finalize their party platform at the event, which differs greatly from Biden and the Democrat’s plan when it comes to tech policy.
Who will be speaking at the convention?
Over the four-day convention, various speakers are set to take the (virtual) stages. Lady Melania Trump will join Trump’s adult children — Don Jr., Ivanka, Eric, and Tiffany Trump — for a speech on Tuesday night, and Vice President Mike Pence will deliver his speech on Wednesday night. President Trump is scheduled to accept his presidential nomination on Thursday night on the White House lawn.
Key Republican speakers scheduled to appear during the convention include Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), former Trump ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California. Other speakers reportedly include the teen whose viral interaction with a Native American protester led to widespread media coverage (and lawsuits against The Washington Post and CNN), as well as Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple who pointed guns at Black Lives Matter protesters near their home.
Who will perform at the convention?
The performer list for the convention hasn’t been fully announced yet. We will update this story when the performers are revealed.
What are the coronavirus guidelines for those attending the convention?
Six delegates from each state and territory — a total of 336 people — will attend the Republican National Convention in person.
All attendees will have to follow health protocols set by the RNC leadership, including social distancing, coronavirus testing before traveling and wearing masks. All delegates will also be tracked daily for symptoms and have their temperatures checked.
What are the themes of the Republican National Convention?
The major theme of the 2020 RNC is “Honoring the Great American Story.” Within that motif, each day of the convention will have a different American theme tied to the week’s focus.
Even though we know Trump is the Republican presidential candidate, the virtual Republican National Convention brings together Republicans from all over the country to speak to their party and potential voters about the issues at hand in the upcoming election. The convention is also when Republican Party members adopt the official 2020 Republican Party platform. According to Ballotpedia, the Republican National Committee Executive Committee will back the same platform as 2016.
