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GOP chair: 'We will not be holding a virtual convention'

Ronna Romney McDaniel, the chair of the Republican National Committee, speaks during the RNC winter meeting at the Trump National Doral Resort in Miami, Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald via AP) (Matias J. Ocner, Miami Herald Staff)

Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said Monday that the party “will not be holding a virtual convention," pledging that the presidential nominating convention in late August will be conducted at least partly in-person.

The coronavirus outbreak forced Democrats to move their convention from July to August, and it's still unclear whether that event will be entirely online. On a call with reporters about election lawsuits, McDaniel initially demurred when asked about the GOP gathering, slated for Aug. 24-27 in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the party is set to formally choose President Donald Trump as its nominee.

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“It’s quite a ways away, and there's ample time for us to adjust, if necessary,” McDaniel said. But later, in response to a question about the Minnesota Republican Party's online convention possibly being disrupted by hackers, McDaniel said: “We will not be holding a virtual convention.”

The RNC has hired a medical adviser for the convention, and McDaniel said the party will need to consult with the Charlotte mayor and North Carolina governor on logistics.