Oregon Republican Party Chair Bill Currier casts the state’s votes for President Donald Trump as the party’s presidential nominee at the 2020 Republican National Convention. (Screen grab/Facebook)
Kevin Mannix, a Salem lawyer long involved in GOP politics, has been to every Republican National Convention since 2000.
The 2020 Republican National Convention, which wrapped up on Thursday, was unlike any he’s ever attended. The event was held partially in Charlotte, North Carolina and the rest remotely as delegates from around the country cast their votes to renominate President Donald Trump as the party’s standard-bearer. Trump gave his acceptance speech from the White House.
Mannix, who served as Republican legislator in the 1990s and was the party’s candidate for governor in 2002, said that he was ready to go to Charlotte as well as Jacksonville, Florida (where the convention was supposed to be held before it was cancelled). But he said that only six of Oregon’s delegates would be present at the physical event.
“I had no desire to be hanging out outside,” he said.
Instead, Mannix watched the event remotely. He said that during normal conventions delegates are exchanging messages and conversing during the floor speeches. But this time, Mannix said he was able to absorb every speech.
“The negative side is I’m not interacting with my fellow delegates,” said Mannix, who normally socializes and chats about politics to with delegates from other states. “It’s a great learning experience at a convention, and you get to meet other people.”
Both major parties use the conventions to present a vision for the country and Mannix said the GOP’s was starkly different from that laid out by the Democratic Party the previous week. He said the Republican Party is seeking to respect American dreams and ideals while building on the country’s imperfect past.
“My sense was that we know we are not perfect, but this is a great country and we want to make it better,” he said. “We think our opponents have a negative view of America and we think they are wrong.”
During the convention, Oregon was mentioned multiple times, as speakers referenced the more than 80 days of demonstrations in Portland against police brutality. Republicans have criticized the city and state’s leadership for their handling of the demonstrations that have become chaotic and violent. Trump has singled out the protests as failures of Democratic leadership and sent in federal troops to the city.
“Oregon a state with a proven pioneering tradition and breathtaking natural beauty has benefited greatly from President Trump’s America-first policy over the last 3-and-a-half years, resulting in more and better jobs and an improved economy for our citizens,” Oregon Republican Party Chair Bill Currier said as he cast the state delegation’s 28 votes for Trump.
Currier contrasted Trump, who he said “stood up to the violent thugs,” with Oregon’s “failed governor” and the “feckless mayor of Portland.” During the convention Trump again called out Portland.
Mannix contrasted the convention to the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City. He said that following the 9/11 terrorist attacks elected leaders and others from Oregon made a point of visiting New York City. During the convention, he said that New York’s then Republican Gov. George Pataki made a point during the convention of thanking the Oregon delegation, said Mannix.
“There is so much good about Oregon that is being overlooked because of this mindless violence,” said Mannix, who faulted much of the state’s political leadership. “I’m not talking about peaceful protest.”
A former Democrat, Mannix said that he likes going to the conventions as a way to refresh himself on the Republican Party’s philosophy and to give back to the party.
After having his first remote convention, he said he does not expect it to become the new normal.
“With so many things, human interaction adds to the experience,” he said.
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Contact reporter Jake Thomas at 503-575-1251 or [email protected] or @jakethomas2009.
