It didn’t take long for the floor of the Republican National Convention to become unruly.
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But the chair of vote procedures, Rep. Steve Womack, rammed the rules through on a voice vote and then promptly walked off the stage, leaving the NeverTrump faction livid and causing some members of the Iowa and Colorado delegations to walk out of the convention.
Nebraska’s position on the convention floor is sandwiched between delegations from Alaska and Utah.
But Tom Stark, a Trump delegate from Chapel Hill and a member of the rules committee, said the issue was settled when the rules were drafted. But then a lengthy musical interlude transpired during which Trump whips in their bright-yellow hats were seen intensely lobbying delegates. Never Trump forces said they had secured nine states petitioning for a roll call vote, but Womack said three of those had withdrawn, dropping below the seven states needed.
Several hundred anti-Trump delegates seeking to change the convention rules so that they could opt out of voting for the real estate mogul roared their disapproval on Monday after being denied the chance to debate the changes or have a full vote on them.
The reversal by some delegates came after heavy lobbying by the Trump campaign and top officials of the Republican National Committee. When Womack asked for those against the rules to voice their opposition, a shout that seemingly rivaled that of the proponents of the rules rose from the red-carpeted floor of Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland.
“A small number of states and delegates are part of what they’re calling the Never Trump movement”, says Nebraska Delegate Bob Evnen.
“Because Trump and the RNC are in total agreement that Trump should be the nominee”, said Mr. Feaman, repeating a refrain among conventiongoers here, meant to rebut impressions that Mr. Trump is persona non grata among the GOP’s best-known leaders. Ted Cruz in the primary, was infuriated by the result, telling several TV networks the convention chairmen had “cheated” by not allowing a roll call vote. “You had the guys that were ready to go in Benghazi that were ordered down, you have the parents talking about their kids murdered based on illegals being in this country”, said Stoker.
Cuccinelli was one of the most vocal advocates of a roll call vote on the floor. By rule, the convention chair should have accepted the petition and started a roll call vote.
Cuccinelli said his interest wasn’t in stopping Trump, but instead in pushing the RNC to be more receptive to grassroots demands. “If Cruz would have stayed in to the end, we would have had a much bigger fight”. “We’re not done, Ken”, one woman said. But it took some fancy footwork by Trump supporters and their allies on the RNC to make it happen. But Rabin said he saw “less than 10 percent” of the state’s delegates weighing in loudly on either side.
Hillary Clinton will address the AFSCME convention in Las Vegas.
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Diana Shores, a 37-year-old housewife from Virginia, stood on a chair and chanted with others for a roll call vote.
