Amid the speeches and festivities, the Republican Party is aiming to use its national convention to frame its candidates and important issues more clearly for voters.
The convention, which began Monday and wraps up today, was projected to attract an estimated 50,000 people to Tampa, Fla.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will accept his nomination tonight, after two days of speeches by major party figures and rising Republican stars.
“It’s incredibly high-energy. People are dancing, moving around, screaming and just having a great time,” said George Thorne, a member of UNC College Republicans who traveled to Tampa for the convention. “I’m incredibly excited to be here.”
Michael MacKuen, a political science professor at UNC, said that on average, Republican presidential candidates receive a temporary bump of five points in the polls after their party’s nominating convention.
But parties also use conventions to introduce candidates to voters and highlight pivotal issues, which can sometimes have lasting effects, MacKuen said.
“For persuadable voters, as long as they’re making a decision based on the recession and deficit, and whether he’s a good family man, it will work to Romney’s advantage,” he said.
Greg Steele, chairman of the N.C. Federation of College Republicans, said he believes another important goal of the convention is to capture youth voters.
“A big part of the convention is all the conversation that’s happening, not just in the ballroom, but outside in the hotels,” Steele said.
“Young people bring something unique to the table. That’s why they want us there. Older generations understand what we need, but they’re not living it.”
