A recent poll shows that Jacksonville residents are conflicted about the Republican National Convention being held in the city. 

The poll, conducted by the Public Opinion Research Lab at the University of North Florida, shows that 58% of respondents strongly or somewhat oppose the convention being held in the city. This includes Aaron Adkins, a recent UNF graduate. 

“Right now I’m worried that it will bring a lot of people from out of state who will inevitably refuse to wear masks, which will only further contribute to this second wave,” said Adkins. “I’m also a bit concerned about the potential of protests starting in and around downtown and getting out of hand as tensions rise over the RNC being held here.” 

Adkins isn’t alone in these views. According to the poll, 71% of respondents are very or somewhat concerned about COVID transmission due to the large gathering the RNC will likely be. Comparably, 61% of respondents are very or somewhat concerned about the possibility of protests in Jacksonville due to the convention. 

However, 66% of respondents agree that the RNC could have a positive economic impact, possibly generating up to 100 million dollars. In terms of the media, 56% of respondents believe that the RNC won’t bring positive attention to Jacksonville. 

“I don’t think Jacksonville will get negative attention just from hosting the event, but I think it’ll depend how Lenny Curry deals with all of it,” said Adkins. “At this point, I assume he is not going to put many, if any, guidelines in place regarding the use of masks in Jacksonville. Ultimately, I think news outlets will find ways to spin either outcome to sound positive or negative on both ends.” 

The poll also asked respondents questions about the upcoming election as well as the pandemic in general. Details on the poll can be found here.

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