Robert Yates, a delegate from suburban Erie, said Tuesday that he’s leaning toward voting for Trump.
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Efforts to put Cruz’s name in nomination raises the specter of a second straight day of floor protests highlighting the divisions in the GOP and breaking the peace of the convention, which is normally a tightly scripted affair to present the nominee and party in the best possible light. Though the focus was supposed to be jobs, speakers spent more time denouncing presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Alaska contested the vote for its state and after a discussion between RNC Chair Reince Priebus, convention chair Paul Ryan, and others on stage, they announced that the rule would stand.
Rauner is absent from the convention and aides have said he is not “formally endorsing” Trump, though the governor has called himself the leader of his party and has urged support for the GOP ticket.
The boisterous roll call featured officials bragging about their states, per tradition, and enthusiastically declaring Trump the victor of their delegates.
Yates ran for delegate as a supporter of Texas Senator Ted Cruz, and had still planned to cast his ballot for Cruz when he arrived in Cleveland on Sunday. But Trump’s campaign and GOP officials eager for a show of unity behind Trump worked to head that off.
Clinton pounced on the tumult, saying the Republican gathering had so far been “surreal”, comparing it to the classic fantasy film “Wizard of Oz”.
“I have never underestimated my father, ever”, Eric Trump said.
Speakers also included some unknown names, such as Andy Wist, founder and CEO of a waterproofing company in the Bronx, as well as Dana White, president of the popular Ultimate Fighting Championship, which promotes mixed martial arts. Mrs. Trump’s speech was well received in the convention hall.
Trump’s campaign offered no apologies, with top adviser Paul Manafort telling The Associated Press the matter had been “totally blown out of proportion”. Four of his children joined the state’s delegation on the convention floor for the historic moment and appeared overwhelmed with emotion. Police on bicycles pushed back a surging crowd, and Jones was whisked away.
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Trump’s roll call will be followed by the nomination and vote for Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as the vice presidential nominee. He called Kasich “petulant” and “embarrassing” for not endorsing Trump or attending the convention, drawing quick condemnation from other GOP leaders anxious about angering the popular governor of one of the most important election states.
