Friday, April 10, 2020

From Brokered to Virtual Convention, Coronavirus Changes Politics

As 2020 began and early caucuses and primaries showed a closely divided Democratic Party, the political buzz focused on how a brokered convention would work. It was scheduled for mid-July, early to get ahead of the Olympics. That conversation ended on March 3, Super Tuesday, as Joe Biden swept through 11 out of 15 states as the frontrunner and potential nominee. It was confirmed in several mid-March follow-up primaries.

But, as of today, coronavirus has made June 2 the historically end of the primary session and its own Super Tuesday as eleven states hold events, including six that moved earlier events. The Democratic convention has already been moved from July 13-16 to August 17-20, and now contingency plans are being discussed on shifting to a virtual convention where delegates may hear the speeches on television and vote online and by phone. Conventions tend to be staged ceremonial events, and this one was effectively over after Michigan on March 10 and Florida and Illinois on March 17, which Bernie Sanders confirmed today.

Sen. Bernie Sanders | Photo: Scott Eisen/Getty Images

Former VP Joe Biden | Photo: CNN

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