The Republican convention this week is being taken in by many Kentuckians, but a University of Kentucky political scientist doesn’t expect a major long term shift in presidential support. Stephen Voss says political conventions tend to be ‘glorified advertisements’ for their parties. “At least the ones who are discussing it, the ones who are doing more than just having it on in the background, still, judging from what I’m seeing, tends to be either the people who are republican or already hate Trump and know it and looking to see a train wreck.”
What’s unusual for a political party convention, according to Voss, is the rebranding of the GOP as found in Donald Trump’s candidacy.
Some conservative democrats across Kentucky may be tuning in to this week’s Republican convention in Cleveland. Voss says the Commonwealth has a healthy amount of conservative democrats who may choose to vote for Donald Trump. “They won’t necessarily see the whole convention. They’re not necessarily a highly politicized group, but they will see those greatest hits that show up on the evening news or that appear in the newspaper or that are available through you tube or on their friend’s facebook account,” explained Voss.
Voss says conventions can provide a bump in support, but it typically is not lasting. ?
