Local delegates address shooting ahead of Republican National Convention

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – As the nation continues to process the shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally, the stage is being set for this year’s Republican National Convention.

Johnson City Mayor Todd Fowler is serving as an alternate delegate for the Republicans of Tennessee. Fowler was in Milwaukee when the news of the shooting came through.

“They had TVs in the restaurant, and [I] just started seeing all of it going on at the time,” said Fowler. “Everybody sitting around, ‘Did that really happen?’ And it was solemn for a little while.”

The news also affected Sharon Boreing, state president of the Tennessee Federation of Republican Women. Boreing spoke to News Channel 11 the night of the shooting, which was the night before she left for the convention,

“I was in shock,” said Boreing. “Total shock of just, [it’s] unbelievable that someone had gone to this place to do harm to Donald Trump.”

Boreing said that although others might be scared to attend the convention, her feelings have not changed.

“I still can’t wait to get there,” said Boring. “Because if there was ever a time that I do want to stand up for my country and fight for my country, it’s now.”

According to Fowler, security is high for all those attending, in both the hotels and the convention center.

“There are areas that the bus drives through,” Fowler said. “They search underneath the bus, you get searched three or four times, then you go through metal detectors and there is very high security.”

While Fowler expressed concerns about the convention’s continuation, Boreing said she had no doubt that it would continue.

“They were trying to figure out if something had happened,” said Fowler. “Would they have rescheduled this with somebody else as the nominee coming up?”

“I never thought negatively that it would stop,” said Boreing. “Because to know Donald Trump and how he loves the country.”

The convention is scheduled to go on as planned.

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