Joe Biden Suggests Democratic Convention Could Be 'Virtual'

MILWAUKEE, WI — As the new coronavirus continues to spread nationwide and in Wisconsin, Joe Biden, the leading Democratic nominee for president, has begun floating the possibility of moving the party's national convention to a virtual format.

The 2020 Democratic National Convention was originally scheduled to be held in Milwaukee in mid-July. On Thursday, party officials made the decision to postpone the convention for a month — with festivities now slated to begin August 17.

However, during a Sunday morning interview with ABC News' This Week, Biden said the party may have to hold a "virtual convention." Biden has already announced that he will begin wearing a mask during future public outings.

Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters. Don't miss local and statewide news about coronavirus developments and precautions.

"We may not be able to put 10, 20, 30,000 people in one place and that’s very possible," Biden said on Sunday.

Shifting the party's convention out of the real world, and Milwaukee, would be a blow to Wisconsin. The state has never hosted a major party's political convention, the Democratic National Party said.

The party said it is monitoring the health situation in Wisconsin.

"Ensuring the safety of the convention’s host community and all convention-goers has been—and always will remain—the top priority of the Democratic National Convention Committee. As we continue to monitor the unpredictable and unprecedented public health emergency, we remain in constant communication with the local, state, and federal officials responsible for protecting public health and security, and will continue to follow their guidance," the party said in a statement on Thursday.

The number of deaths related to the new coronavirus crossed 50 in Wisconsin Saturday, state health officials announced. A total of 2,112 cases have been confirmed in the state.

Questions remain if the Republic National Convention, scheduled for Charlotte, North Carolina in August, will be able to move forward as planned. President Donald Trump has vowed to move forward with the convention, but local officials appear dubious about the prospect of a mass gathering.