That’s when the roll call of states is set to unfold, delivering the delegates to make him the standard-bearer after a rollicking primary season that saw him vanquish 16 rivals.
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“It is my honor to be able to throw Donald Trump over the top in the delegate count tonight with 89 delegates”, Donald Jr. said, surrounded by three of Trump’s other children – Ivanka, Eric and Tiffany.
His son, Donald Trump Jr, announced the support of NY, their home state, during a roll-call vote at the Republican National Convention, ensuring Mr Trump had the majority of delegates – 1237 – needed to contest the 8 November US presidential election.
“This is a movement, but we have to go all the way”, he said.
He expressed his pride at being nominated and promised to bring “real change and leadership” to Washington. Neil Young also objected when the real estate mogul used “Rockin’ in the Free World” during his campaign kickoff announcement past year.
“The distraction gets you off message a little”, said Republican Party boss Reince Priebus, though he added that he expected the flap to fade quickly. Earlier Tuesday, some Republicans were saying Cruz’s supporters wanted to gather enough signatures to allow the Texan to be nominated.
The announcement came following a state by state roll call, when Trump finally claimed the 1,725 delegates needed to clinch the nomination.
It was not the smoothest of votes, with two Colorado delegates abstaining and the delegation of the capital Washington declaring their votes for Senator Marco Rubio and Ohio Governor John Kasich, only to have them flipped to Trump by the convention chair in order to follow party rules for the district.
Prominent leaders also staying away included George H W Bush and George W Bush, the only two living Republican presidents.
Manafort said there will be less emphasis on Trump’s signature issues that he highlighted during the GOP primary, such as a temporary ban on Muslim immigration and building a wall between the US and Mexico. Some of the Chicago-based Syrian refugees who walked with him turned back when they were intercepted by hate groups. There were no big missteps Tuesday, but the event was void of the glitzy, Hollywood touch Trump promised, with a series of Republican officials parading on stage to level sharp, but repetitive, criticisms of Clinton.
Ryan, the senior-most elected Republican in the country, barely even mentioned Trump in his speech – twice, that’s all. “Hillary Clinton wants us to forget that she made $21.5 million on 92 speeches”.
Christie conducted a mock trial of Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state (2009-2012) and held her guilty on every charge, prompting the crowd to chant, “Lock her up, Lock her up”.
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“My dad is a natural born encourager, the last person to ever tell you to lower your sights”, she said. Melania Trump, his wife, started that process on Monday. Mrs. Obama, in her 2008 speech, talked being raised learning about “values, like, you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond, that you do what you say you’re going to do, that you treat people with dignity and respect”. She spoke of his “simple goodness” and his loyalty and love of family – while noting the “drama” that comes with Trump in politics.
