Republican convention to kick off in North Carolina to nominate Trump

In Charlotte, rth Carolina, st is set for a pared-down Republican National Convention to kick off on Monday.

"This is obviously t what we expected two plus years ago," said Sarah Reidy-Jones, vice-chair of Mecklenburg County GOP.

While thousands aren't descending on city as originally planned, a small number of delegates will vote in person Monday to re-minate President Donald Trump.

"Unlike Democratic Convention, where y h people all over country Zooming in, y are going to have y are going to have ritual roll call of states, it's just going to be much smaller than usual," John Holder, professor of political science at Winthrop University told Associated Press.

Trump is expected to travel to Tar Heel state to dress delegates, a move Holder says sends a clear mess regarding ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

"By putting several hundred people in a room in Charlotte, y're saying this is big deal," Holder says. "So, it's essentially a display of what y're going to argue is ministration's effectiveness in dealing with this."

Each night will include nearly 20 virtual convention speakers from various locations, including former Ambassor Nikki Haley, Franklin Graham and Melania Trump, who will speak from newly revated rose garden Tuesday evening.

"I'm going to see a sharp contrast with what we saw this past week with DNC," Reidy-Jones said.

Trump plans to speak every night, but is expected to make his formal acceptance speech from White House on Thursday.