DNC Postponement Amidst COVID-19
Courtesy of The Maryland Democratic Party
By Anna Harvey
As the United States approaches its forecasted peak in the number of cases of COVID-19, the Democratic National Convention (DNC) has been postponed, according to the Democratic National Committee. The committee originally planned to hold the convention mid-July, but now the convention is scheduled to take place during the week of August 17, one week before the Republican National Convention.
Amidst the spread of the coronavirus, states such as New York, Ohio, Kentucky, Maryland, and Pennsylvania have likewise postponed their primaries, and all in-person campaigning has virtually ceased. Currently, these states plan to reschedule their primaries in May and June, but continue to monitor the situation as new developments arise. Despite these setbacks, however, former Vice President Joe Biden has led strongly in the polls and is now likely to win the party nomination, with Senator Bernie Sanders ending his presidential campaign on April 8.
According to The New York Times, Tom Perez, the chairman of the DNC, stated that he would not move the convention back as far as September. Additionally, he opposed the idea of holding the convention virtually, which could decrease television coverage. The convention currently holds that all delegates must be present in person to nominate a candidate, so in order to hold the convention digitally, this rule must be changed by party leaders.
While the crisis is not guaranteed to be over by August, many Democrats remain hopeful that the crisis will gradually abate. During the next few months, however, party leaders will continue to monitor the situation and abide by CDC guidelines. Currently, Democratic officials speculate that the rescheduled August convention will likely be smaller than the originally-scheduled July convention. According to The New York Times, with many attendees missing the convention due to health concerns or prior engagements, a Democrat official suspected that the convention will be a “bare minimum” convention.
Looking towards the convention as the sole running candidate, Joe Biden now faces the task of choosing a running mate. According to Fox News, Biden’s team has a list of nine potential running mates, with Senators Amy Klobucher and Kamala Harris as the two most likely candidates. With the postponements of primaries and local elections, however, Biden may suffer an uphill struggle with financial campaigning. With many stay-at-home orders enacted in many states, Biden is now unable to meet with potential donors at fundraising events, which puts him and his team at a disadvantage as they continue to move forward towards the 2020 DNC.
