Fort Worth-area Republicans will ask Trump to move GOP convention to Tarrant County
Tarrant County Republicans are drafting a letter to send to President Donald Trump, offering Dickies Arena and AT&T Stadium for this year’s GOP national convention.
They tout the arena and stadium for the convention or part of it, such as when Trump accepts the Republican Party’s nomination for re-election.
Trump has said the GOP is “forced to seek another state to host” the convention scheduled for Charlotte, North Carolina, amid restrictions to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“If we are able to host the Republican National Convention in a county as red as Tarrant County, it would be an absolute mistake to miss that opportunity,” said Rick Barnes, who heads the Tarrant County GOP and is drafting the letter.
“We probably have as good a chance as anybody.”
Barnes said he hopes to send the letter to the president and GOP convention officials by Monday.
The RNC is considering other cities to host the premiere event of the convention — when Trump accepts the nomination — but officials have said they still hope to keep the rest of the convention in Charlotte.
Several cities are being considered to host Trump’s keynote address, including Dallas, a Trump spokeswoman has confirmed.
“I can’t decide which is better, Globe Life Park or Cowboys Stadium,” U.S. Rep. Ron Wright, R-Arlington, said. “Absolutely we should pursue it.
“Arlington would be the best and natural choice.”
Tarrant last year was named one of “10 counties that will decide the 2020 election” by The Hill in Washington, D.C.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has been reopening businesses after closures because of COVID-19, has not announced restrictions tied to conventions.
But the Texas Republican Party has said it would welcome the chance to host the national convention in Texas. The Texas Republican state convention is scheduled for July in Houston.
And Trump is scheduled to attend a private fundraiser in Dallas on June 11.
Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley has said it would be great for the convention — in part or as a whole — to come to North Texas to help restart the economy after businesses were closed because of the pandemic.
“If they pick us, I am supportive of what would be helpful to the economy,” he said.
But hosting the entire convention here might be difficult, because delegates and officials would have to stay at hotels throughout the county and ride buses to facilities hosting the events.
But “we’ve got a group of volunteers who would do everything they could to make it work,” Whitley said Thursday. “We would help support that.”
This story was originally published June 4, 2020 at 4:22 PM.
