WASHINGTON (AP) — 2012 GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain had died after a month-long battle with coronavirus at an Atlanta-area hospital.
It’s not clear when or where Cain was infected, but he was hospitalized less than two weeks after attending President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He did not meet with Trump there, according to the campaign.
Cain, 74, was hospitalized after developing “serious” symptoms but is “awake and alert,” according to the statement.
The former pizza company executive has been an outspoken backer of the president and was named by the campaign as a co-chair of Black Voices for Trump.
“I realize people will speculate about the Tulsa rally, but Herman did a lot of traveling the past week, including to Arizona where cases are spiking,” Dan Calabrese, who has been editor of HermanCain.com, wrote on the website. “I don’t think there’s any way to trace this to the one specific contact that caused him to be infected. We’ll never know.”
Cain took part in a Trump campaign livestream before the rally with campaign senior adviser Katrina Pierson and Texas state Rep. James White.
At least six campaign staffers and two members of the Secret Service working in advance of the Tulsa rally tested positive for COVID-19.
An Oklahoma-based journalist has also confirmed testing positive soon after attending the rally.
White House Chief of Staff Kevin McCarthy is among many offering condolences:
My deepest sympathy and prayers to Herman Cain’s family and his loved ones.
He led an accomplished life—business titan, cancer survivor, and Republican presidential candidate. He will always be remembered for his love of country.
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) July 30, 2020
Extremely saddened to hear that Herman Cain has passed away. He was a proud Georgian, a true statesman, and a strong conservative voice. He will be deeply missed.https://t.co/SW5DzEwcgF
— Doug Collins (@RepDougCollins) July 30, 2020
https://twitter.com/dmartosko/status/1288847859421515776?s=20
