ROY COOPER

The state Senate in North Carolina overrides Gov. Roy Cooper's veto to loosen gun restrictions in the state. Republicans hold a supermajority in the North Carolina Senate.

North Carolina residents can now buy a handgun without getting a permit from a local sheriff.

A Medicaid expansion law was signed by North Carolina's governor on Monday. The law is a legacy-victory for Democrats but one significant hurdle remains thanks to a GOP-back provision.

North Carolina State Treasurer Dale Folwell says he'll run for governor in 2024.

North Carolina received final approval for a deal for Medicaid expansion. The bill marked a turning point in debate over whether state should accept federal government aid.

The Republican-controlled North Carolina legislature has given final approval to a Medicaid expansion agreement.

United in their opposition, House Democrats challenged Republican claims that the bill would reduce discrimination and argued that a comprehensive history education should make students uncomfortable. Eighteen others have already limited how teachers can discuss racism and sexism in the classroom. Gaston County Republican Rep. John Torbett said the proposal, which now heads to the Senate, will prohibit schools from endorsing controversial concepts, including that one race or sex is inherently superior.

An agreement to expand Medicaid in North Carolina has reached the cusp of final legislative approval following a state House vote.

The North Carolina General Assembly approved changes to the governance of the state’s schools for the deaf and blind. Gov. Cooper successfully vetoed the bill.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper will allow a bill increasing penalties for rioters to become law after deciding against blocking the piece of legislation — a move he made in 2021.

Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper urged Pactiv Evergreen not to shut down its Canton mill, noting the "devastating effect" an estimated 1,100 job losses would have on the state.

The North Carolina state Senate has approved a bipartisan agreement to expand Medicaid coverage. The proposal could cover more low-income adults and build more health facilities.

Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s big budget increase of 20% was scoffed at by the GOP. North Carolina’s Republicans originally favored an increase of around 10%.

A bill that would discard North Carolina’s longstanding requirement that gun buyers need to obtain a permit and clear a mental evaluation will head to the governor’s desk Wednesday.

Gov. Roy Cooper is pushing for more North Carolina state positions to not require college degrees. The effort is aimed at encouraging more experienced-based individuals to apply.

A North Carolina bill approving more severe punishments for rioters heads to the desk of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who vetoed a similar measure in 2021 after deeming it "unnecessary."

North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson will give the GOP response to Democratic Gov. Cooper's State of the State address next week. Cooper's address will be Monday night.

The governments of North Carolina and Denmark have formally agreed to work together to aid the U.S. in building wind energy operations off the Atlantic coast.

North Carolina House Republicans are once again proposing new rules for veto overrides in the final two years of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's tenure.

A local North Carolina prosecutor says campaign-related charges won’t be pursued further against Attorney General Josh Stein or his aides in light of a federal appeals court ruling this week.

North Carolina’s Republican-controlled Senate has passed a bill requiring teachers to alert parents in most circumstances before calling a student by a different name or pronoun.

GOP hardliners seek new abortion restrictions in key post-Roe destination states, including North Carolina, Florida and Nebraska.

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein evokes Charlottesville and Jan. 6 in announcing his 2024 bid and contrasts himself to a likely Republican rival, the lieutenant governor.

Two power substations were damaged in early December, knocking out power for tens of thousands. The latest shooting did not cause any outages, the utility said.

Changes to North Carolina's criteria for governors to declare states of emergency have been included in a budget law in response to Gov. Roy Cooper's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Without warning, Duke Energy cut power to hundreds of thousands in the Carolinas on Christmas Eve and Hanukkah, when much of the country was under weather advisories.

The North Carolina Supreme Court struck down a state voter identification law that required every voter to present one of a few specific forms of photo identification.

North Carolina drag performers and LGBTQ community members fear for their safety after an attack on the electrical grid in Moore County left tens of thousands without power for several days.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced the state was offering $25,000 for information leading to the conviction of those responsible for taking out two Moore County substations.

The state of North Carolina, power company Duke Energy, and Moore County are each offering up to $25,000 for information.

Duke Energy said it expects to have power back Wednesday just before midnight in Moore County. The outages began shortly after one or more people breached the gates and opened fire on two substations.

Duke Energy says it expects to be able to restore power by Wednesday night to a county where electric substations were attacked by gunfire.

A gunfire attack on two electrical substations in Moore County knocked out power to thousands. Authorities say they have not determined who carried out the attack or what the motive was.

In response to ongoing outages in Moore County, North Carolina, officials announced a state of emergency, and schools were closed Monday.

Two power substations in a North Carolina county were damaged by gunfire in what is being investigated as a criminal act.

Multiple gunshots damaged two power substations in Moore County, N.C., leaving thousands without power and sparking a law enforcement investigation.

The power outage across Moore County is being investigated as a criminal act, Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said.

More than 40,000 electric customers in the county remained without power on Sunday morning, according to poweroutage.us.

The November midterms broadened the party’s bench for potential presidential contenders, though none have said they would challenge Biden if he runs.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper blasted Trump for vacillating between "indifference and obstruction" during the pandemic.

Cooper weighs in on whether his state would support Trump again in 2024: "I do not believe that North Carolina will make that mistake again."

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper's veto power remains intact after the GOP failed to gain a majority in the Senate. Republicans currently hold 28 seats.

An antiabortion amendment was defeated in conservative Kentucky, while voters in Michigan backed a measure enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution.

In Georgia, voters say the balance of power in the Senate will shape their vote; more than half in the state say it's the single most important consideration.

State Rep. Terence Everitt (D) shared his family’s experience with abortion on the campaign trail in the final stretch before Election Day.

The stakes in elections for a pair of North Carolina Supreme Court seats this fall are high.

There are 49 recipients across 24 states, who will recieve grants and loans to enable rural communities to access high-speed internet.

A food processor that is based in South Carolina is building a facility in North Carolina. The food processor is known for supplying the military with combat rations.

The power balance of the state’s legislature is up for grabs and could have major consequences.

With the 2022 midterms just over the horizon and Biden’s decision about running for reelection not far behind, here are our latest rankings.

A suspect was taken into custody Thursday before 10 p.m. Police haven't announced a motive or their identity.

Police in North Carolina say that the suspect who killed five people in a shooting was a juvenile male.

Police say a 15-year-old boy fatally shot five people in an attack that stretched from the streets of a Raleigh neighborhood to a nearby walking trail.

The Raleigh Police Department said it was "on the scene of an active shooting" and advised residents in multiple neighborhoods to stay in their homes.

The Raleigh Police Department said it was "on the scene of an active shooting" in a statement via Twitter, and advised residents in multiple neighborhoods to stay inside their homes.

Multiple people were wounded Thursday evening in what authorities described as an “active shooting” in a residential neighborhood of Raleigh, North Carolina. “State and local officers are on the ground and working to stop the shooter and keep people safe,” Gov. Roy Cooper tweeted. The Raleigh Police Department said it was “on the scene of an active shooting” in a statement via Twitter, and advised residents in multiple neighborhoods to stay inside their homes.

Raleigh, North Carolina police said it was responding to an active shooting on Thursday afternoon and are warning residents to "remain in their homes."

Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and his attorney general are urging the Republican-controlled state legislature to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Governors races often are overshadowed by the fight for control of Congress during midterm elections.

Prior to the ruling, abortions were legal in North Carolina until fetal viability, which generally falls between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.

A deal on Medicaid expansion in North Carolina is within reach after both legislative chambers passed competing measures before ending their annual session.

Always a contender in CNBC's annual state competitiveness rankings, North Carolina finishes on top for the first time.

The U.S. Supreme Court's landmark abortion ruling overturning Roe v. Wade is prompting efforts in liberal states to protect providers and patients who have traveled for a legal procedure.

The Supreme Court’s apparent intention to abolish a nationwide right to abortion, spelled out in a draft opinion leaked this week, will not be the final chapter in the nation’s most pitched culture battle.

Wisconsin is one of four states emerging as top priorities for Democrats in an election year when the party is facing fierce political headwinds.

Ammonium nitrate is the same chemical compound behind the massive 2020 Beirut port explosion.

Boom says the Overture will fly at a top speed of mach 1.7, approximately 1,300 miles per hour, allowing it to shave hours off of some international flights.

In politically divided North Carolina, hostilities between Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and majority-Republican lawmakers have eased somewhat as 2021 nears its end.

A milestone energy bill that targets sharply reducing greenhouse gas emissions from North Carolina power plants has become law.

Republican-controlled legislatures across the country are advancing measures to limit how students can be taught about race and racism.

Thousands of social media posts have misleadingly painted President Joe Biden and his administration as catalysts of chaos who not only mishandled the temporary shutdown of the nation’s largest fuel pipeline last Friday, but engineered it.

The FBI has launched a civil rights probe into the death of Andrew Brown Jr., a Black man killed by deputies in North Carolina.

Apple plans to invest more than $1 billion in North Carolina to build the company’s first East Coast campus.

Authorities say seven North Carolina deputies have been placed on leave in the aftermath of a Black man being shot and killed by members of their department serving drug-related search and arrest warrants.

The race is on to vaccinate as many Americans as possible against COVID-19, but a significant number of people in the U.S. are still reluctant to get the shots, even in places where they are plentiful.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns, center, celebrates with teammates Patrick Marleau (12) and Mario Ferraro (38) after scoring a goal against Minnesota Wild during the first period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Monday, Feb. 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The San Jose Sharks have returned to practice and are set to play the St. Louis Blues as scheduled on Saturday night after having one game postponed because a player tested positive for the coronavirus. Tomas Hertl was placed on the COVID-19 list on Wednesday, leading to the team canceling practice that day and postponing Thursday’s game against Vegas. With no other players or staff testing positive since then, the Sharks were allowed to return to practice Friday and will host St. Louis the next night. ___The Atlantic Coast Conference will expand use of KINEXON SafeTag contact tracing devices by equipping players, coaches and Tier 1 personnel for its upcoming men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

Officials say a ferocious tornado struck shortly before midnight Monday just inland from the barrier island of Ocean Isle Beach. Roy Cooper said Wednesday that the state must learn from the surprise tornado that struck Ocean Isle Beach with little or no warning, leaving three people dead and 10 injured. The governor surveyed the brunt of the damage, at Ocean Ridge Plantation, a neighborhood where residents recounted near-death experiences from the powerful EF3 tornado that approached swiftly. Some said they received a warning alert on their phone two minutes after the tornado had already passed. AdBefore the tornado hit his Ocean Ridge Storage Solutions business about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from the Ocean Ridge Plantation, he said he was already struggling financially from the governor's pandemic-related business restrictions.

Authorities in Greece have extended a curfew in the country's two largest cities after a new rise in COVID-19 cases . ___THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:Spain surpasses 3 million coronavirus cases, seventh highest total in the world. The governor got his Pfizer shot along with Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin and several other state officials who are newly able under Louisiana’s latest eligibility criteria. Health officials reported 1,526 new confirmed infections Tuesday — half in the greater Athens region — and another 20 deaths. AdAcross the state, officials have started to vaccinate people 65 and older and some workers who can’t do their jobs remotely.

(Peter Meecham/New Zealand Herald via AP)WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Travelers returning to New Zealand will face stricter rules at quarantine hotels as health authorities investigate how up to three people got infected with the coronavirus while isolating at Auckland’s Pullman Hotel. The record increase of 65 deaths is three more than the previous one-day record reported on Jan. 6, according to health department records. The university and county health department are asking students to limit leaving their residence to going to classes, getting food, work and other necessary in-person activities. The health department said in the news release that if the case counts continues to rise, stricter measures will have to be applied. The previous one-day record of 62 was reported Jan. 6, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

Scott Applewhite, File)President-elect Joe Biden announced Thursday that he had chosen North Carolina regulator Michael S. Regan as his nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency and New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland as his pick for interior secretary. Biden will introduce Regan, Haaland and other newly named nominees at an event Saturday. North Carolina Gov. In North Carolina, Regan led the negotiations that resulted in the cleanup of the Cape Fear River, which has been dangerously contaminated by PFAS industrial compounds from a chemical plant. With Duke Energy, he negotiated what North Carolina says was the largest cleanup agreement for toxic coal ash.

Hong Kong on Wednesday reported an additional 100 cases, bringing its two-week total to 1,274. Hong Kong has reported a total of 7,075 confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic, with 112 deaths. The Texas Department of State Health Services also said 9,028 people were hospitalized across the state. Since late November, the new daily cases have soared past 10,000 on several days, with 15,103 new cases reported Tuesday, according to state health officials. ___BOISE, Idaho — Idaho public health officials abruptly ended a meeting Tuesday evening after the Boise mayor and chief of police said intense anti-mask protests outside the health department building — as well as outside some health officials’ homes — were threatening public safety.

State health officials decline to identify which hospitals have expressed interest, but say there is need statewide. Hospitalizations have not yet reached their summer heights in Georgia, but beds are filling rapidly with COVID-19 cases. ___HARRISBURG, Pa. — States faced a deadline on Friday to place orders for the coronavirus vaccine as many reported record infections, hospitalizations and deaths. Ukraine, which is facing a rapid rise in coronavirus cases, tightened weekend restrictions last month but lifted them this week. ___ATLANTA — Vice President Mike Pence is trying to boost Americans’ confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines that are awaiting regulatory approval and distribution.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistribu)RALEIGH, N.C. – A 3 1/2-year ban on new local ordinances aimed at protecting LGBT rights in North Carolina expired Tuesday, prompting gay rights groups to urge the passage of such measures now. It drew national condemnation and prompted several large corporations and sports teams to relocate events to other states or reconsider expanding in North Carolina. As the moratorium ended, leaders of Equality North Carolina and the Campaign for Southern Equality on Tuesday urged North Carolina residents to contact leaders of cities and urge them to expand anti-discrimination laws for the LGBT community. The moratorium had barred new local ordinances related to private employment, hotels and restaurants. Beau Mills, executive director of the North Carolina Metro Mayors Coalition, said before the ban ended that he wasn't aware of any city planning to pass new ordinances right away.

“This was a status quo election.”Heading into Tuesday, Republicans had full control of 29 state legislatures compared to 19 for Democrats. “The reality is we are still running on very gerrymandered maps,” said Christina Polizzi, national press secretary for the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. They were countered by the Republican state leadership committee, which had a target of about $70 million. But Republican redistricting power will be diminished in some states because of changes that occurred in recent years. Instead, Republicans added to their House ranks with more conservatives, increasing the potential to override vetoes by Democratic Gov.

Mike Parson, and State Auditor Nicole Galloway are seen onstage before the Missouri gubernatorial debate at the Missouri Theatre in Columbia, Missouri. Democrats are hoping to gain control of more state legislative chambers after Republicans scored huge wins in 2010. The only governor's job to change parties is in Montana, where Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte defeated Democratic Lt. Gov. The national Democratic and Republican governors associations and the campaigns themselves have contributed more than $24 million to the race. In Missouri, incumbent Mike Parson, a Republican, defeated Nicole Galloway, the state auditor who was the Democrats' best chance to pick up a seat.

FILE - In this Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020 file photo, Missouri Republican Gov. Its the most hotly contested of the nations 11 governors races this fall. Which party holds the governor's office could be especially consequential over the next few years. In governor’s races, many of the attack ads are funded by each party’s governors association. In the governor’s race, he said Gianforte’s financial support of a Montana museum dedicated to creationist beliefs was a big problem.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a video conference Tuesday with the top elected officials of 10 states that together account for about 80% of Indias total cases, urging them to rigorously apply the strategies of containment, surveillance and contact tracing to drive the fatality rate below 1%. Those measures appear to have been successful in bringing numbers down from the more than 100 new daily cases reported at the end of last month. ___MEXICO CITY Mexico reported a near-record 926 newly confirmed COVID-19 deaths Tuesday, bringing the countrys accumulated total to 53,929. The Health Department reported 6,686 new coronavirus infections, bringing the countrys total confirmed cases so far to 492,522. At that rate Mexico will reach a half million confirmed cases soon, but given the extremely low rate of testing less than 1.1 million tests in a country of almost 130 million inhabitants the number would like be a vast undercount.

FILE - In this July 21, 2016, file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump smiles as he addresses delegates during the final day session of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. North Carolina public health officials told the Republican National Committee the party can have more than 10 people in a room to conduct official convention business while in Charlotte. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)RALEIGH, N.C. North Carolina will ease gathering restrictions for the Republican National Convention in Charlotte this month after a push by the national party for the state to be more accommodating. The RNC has estimated it would have no more than 500 delegates per day at the Charlotte Convention Center and the Westin hotel. The back-and-forth between the state and RNC comes amid a months-long battle between Trump and North Carolina's Democratic governor.

With reported coronavirus cases rising rapidly in many states, governors are getting lots of advice on what they should do. Dr. Brian Labus, an assistant professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Public Health and a member of the medical team advising Sisolak, said he knows the governor has to weigh public health advice against political and economic considerations. The number of confirmed new coronavirus cases per day in the U.S. hit an all-time high of 40,000 Friday. In Utah, coronavirus cases have been surging since most businesses were allowed to reopen in May. As West Virginia has seen a spike in reported virus cases, Gov.

Democrats will hold an almost entirely virtual presidential nominating convention Aug. 17-20 in Milwaukee using live broadcasts and online streaming, party officials said Wednesday. Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi will serve as convention chair, party officials said. Unlike this president, Joe Biden and Democrats are committed to protecting the health and safety of the American people, Perez said. Besides events in Wisconsin, Democrats plan other events in satellite locations around the country to broadcast as part of the convention. Veteran producer Ricky Kirshner, who has worked on every Democratic National Convention since 1992, will lead production of the convention, including the satellite broadcasts.

Sundays work follows the removal of two other Confederate statues on the state Capitol grounds in Raleigh on Saturday. Cooper ordered the statues removed after protesters toppled two other Confederate statues Friday night, stringing one up by the neck and hanging it from a light pole. Cooper has advocated the statues removal for years. In another case in California, symbols of the Black Lives Matter movement have been targeted in recent weeks with vandalism. The Ventura County Sheriffs Office said late Saturday that a tarp painted with the letters BLM has been repeatedly damaged in Thousand Oaks.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Donald Trump will accept the nomination of the Republican Party for a second term as president in Jacksonville, the RNC Chair announced Thursday night. Reports had been swirling for more than a week that Jacksonville was the front runner to host the Republican National Convention that Trump wanted moved out of Charlotte after North Carolinas governor told the party it could not host a full-scale convention free from social distancing measures during the coronavirus pandemic. On Wednesday, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel made clear that Jacksonville was the favorite. Curry is a former chairperson of the state Republican Party, and the area is the home base of GOP Gov. While no final decision has been made by the RNC we understand Jacksonville is a front runner, the chairperson of the Republican Party of Florida, Joe Gruters, said in a tweet.

Roy Coopers administration has ordered closed a small stock-car track thats allowed large crowds to gather repeatedly for weekend races well above COVID-19 limits for mass gatherings. (Robert Willett/The News & Observer via AP)GRAHAM, N.C. A North Carolina judge on Thursday ordered a small stock-car track to halt racing after state health officials declared large weekend crowds at recent races violated an executive order by Gov. Media reports indicated many gathered at three weekend races since late May sat and stood near each other, and few wore masks. Kitchen also argued that the Turners constitutional rights were being violated and that they were subject to selective enforcement of Coopers order. If its wrong to have races, than all races have to be shut down, Kitchen said.

But she made clear that Jacksonville is the favorite now that Charlotte, North Carolina, the official host of this summer's Republican National Convention, has balked on promising Trump a full-blown convention free from social distancing measures during the coronavirus pandemic. Shame on him, because he put politics over the people of his state and revenues coming into his state, McDaniel said in the radio interview. Mayor Len Curry is a former chair of the state Republican Party and the area is the home base of GOP Gov. We are going to keep our convention of, the business of the convention in Charlotte. Charlotte officials on Wednesday said that despite public comments from Trump and GOP officials, they had not been officially informed of any intent to move any part of the convention.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The Duval County Health Department told News4Jax on Wednesday that it will work with city leaders should the GOP choose Jacksonville as the host of the Republican National Convention in 2020. The Health Department said it will ensure the appropriate measures are being taken to keep people healthy amid the threat of COVID-19 based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A statement from a Health Department spokesperson reads:If the Republican National Convention is held in Duval County, The Florida Department of Health in Duval County will work to support the city of Jacksonville to ensure the well-being of event attendees. The Department would work with local officials to ensure that all the appropriate measures are being taken with regards to COVID-19 based on the current CDC guidance.RELATED: Jacksonville favorite for Republican convention | Some Jacksonville hotels sold out for week of Republican National ConventionA week ago, Gov. As of Wednesday, the CDC still had an advisory for large events on its website, which was posted in mid-March.

FILE - In this Sept. 9, 2019, file photo, President Donald Trump participates in a briefing about Hurricane Dorian with North Carolina Gov. Trump's tweets Monday about the RNC, planned for Charlotte, come just two days after the North Carolina recorded its largest daily increase in positive cases yet. A draft of the bill, authored by Republican State Rep. John Torbett of Gaston and circulated last week by North Carolina Republican Party chairman Michael Whatley, calls for convention events in Charlotte to be held at full capacity, just as Trump had demanded from Cooper. The bill would require attendees to complete both pre-attendance and daily health surveys and have their temperatures taken prior to entry. Torbett's bill is unlikely to garner support among Democratic state lawmakers, who are concerned about reopening the state too soon and holding mass gatherings.

The RNCs Executive Committee has voted unanimously to allow the official business of the national convention to continue in Charlotte," said a statement from Michael Ahrens, the RNC's communications director. The RNCs top considerations to host Trump include Orlando, Florida; Jacksonville, Florida; New Orleans, Dallas and Phoenix. Ron DeSantis criticized North Carolina for adopting what he considers a default no to hosting the convention at full capacity. GOP convention leaders met with Charlotte officials on Thursday morning to discuss how they will all proceed. The city said theyll meet again with convention and RNC leaders on Monday.

Trump and the RNC had demanded that the August convention be allowed to move forward with a full crowd and that participants not have to wear face coverings. Protecting public health and safety during this pandemic is a priority.A traditional GOP convention brings together roughly 2,500 delegates, the same number of alternate delegates and many times more guests, journalists and security personnel. They agreed to continue talking about ways to have a safe convention in Charlotte.But Cooper made clear to Trump that those conditions would likely be impossible to accommodate. The RNC's leader, Ronna McDaniel accused Cooper of dragging his feet on giving them guidance for proceeding with convention plans. Tennessee's Bill Lee said GOP officials were coming to scout Nashville on Thursday.

And on top of those same health concerns, some Jacksonville political leaders said drawing the attention of more protesters would be unwise. I think it makes it a powder keg for Jacksonville, said Daniel Henry, chair of Duval County Democratic Party. A traditional GOP convention brings together roughly 2,500 delegates, the same number of alternate delegates and many times more guests, journalists and security personnel. They agreed to continue talking about ways to have a safe convention in Charlotte.But Cooper made clear to Trump that those conditions would likely be impossible to accommodate. We have been committed to a safe RNC convention in North Carolina and its unfortunate they never agreed to scale down and make changes to keep people safe, Cooper tweeted in response to Trump's announcement.

We have been committed to a safe RNC convention in North Carolina and its unfortunate they never agreed to scale down and make changes to keep people safe, Cooper tweeted in response to the decision. Protecting public health and safety during this pandemic is a priority.A traditional GOP convention brings together roughly 2,500 delegates, the same number of alternate delegates and many times more guests, journalists and security personnel. The Republican governors of states including Tennessee, Florida and Georgia had said they would be interested in hosting if North Carolina fell through. Changing sites had been seen as difficult for reasons including the contract between GOP officials and Charlotte leaders to hold the convention there. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller in Washington; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tenn.; Jonathan Drew in Durham, North Carolina; and Tom Foreman Jr. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, contributed to this report.