The U.S. Republican National Convention got underway Monday, with party stalwarts renominating President Donald Trump for a second term in the White House and the chief executive himself set to unleash attacks on Democratic opponent Joe Biden for four straight nights.
Last week, Democrats, wary of gathering in large numbers in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, nominated the former vice president as their presidential candidate at a virtual convention.
The Republicans are planning a different scenario, meeting Monday in the mid-South city of Charlotte, North Carolina. President Trump arrived in Charlotte Monday afternoon as delegates formally nominated him to be the Republican presidential candidate.
“This is the most important election in the history of our country,” Trump said in remarks to delegates. He also accused Democrats of planning to rig the election with mail-in ballots.
From Tuesday to Thursday, most of the action will take place in Washington. Trump plans to make his renomination acceptance speech on the South Lawn of the White House on the last night of the convention, concluding with a crescendo of fireworks.