N.C. Republican Senator Thom Tillis on Friday said he "fell short of my own standard" by not wearing a mask during President Trump's renomination acceptance speech on the White House lawn Thursday night.
About 1,500 people attended the president's speech on the final night of the Republican National Convention.
The event was outside, which scientists say greatly reduces the risk of the coronavirus spreading. But the guests were sitting close together and not six feet apart.
Most Republicans attending were not wearing masks. But Tillis has pushed for mask-wearing during his reelection campaign, and he generally supports Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's health mandates.
Before the event started, Tillis tweeted a photo of himself wearing a black mask.
The first-term senator is in a tight reelection fight against Democrat Cal Cunningham. In his statement about the mask, Tillis criticized Cunningham.
"I've stressed the important of mask wearing throughout this pandemic and have tried to lead by example on this issue, but last night I feel short of my own standard," Tillis said in a statement. "The difference between Cal Cunningham and I is that I can accept responsibility for my actions, while he lies and makes excuses for his, like how he has misued taxpayer dollars for his own personal hain and broke his promise not to raise taxes on hardworking North Carolinians."
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