Republicans kicked off their convention Monday in Milwaukee amid a backdrop of historic events, including an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump and open disagreement among Democrats over whether to continue supporting President Joe Biden for their party’s nomination.
Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) and his wife Usha Chilukuri Vance look on as he is nominated for the office ... [+]
Republicans officially nominated Trump on Monday afternoon, a formality as Trump won the majority of delegates in the primaries, clinching the nomination on March 12.
Trump on Monday announced Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate, and the GOP officially nominated him for the ticket later Monday.
The former president is set to deliver a speech Thursday and Vance is scheduled to speak Wednesday.
Monday’s speaker line-up includes former presidential candidate Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Alabama Sen. Katie Britt, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Turning Point USA Executive Director Charlie Kirk and Teamsters President Sean O’Brien.
The events of each day center around a different theme; Monday’s is “Make America Wealthy Once Again.”
Monday’s speeches are expected to begin at 6 p.m. CT.
Trump arrived in Milwaukee ahead of the convention Sunday. Trump said in a Truth Social post Sunday he considered delaying his trip to Milwaukee by two days following the attempt on his life, but ultimately decided to travel to Milwaukee as planned. “I cannot allow a ‘shooter,’ or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else,” he said.
The convention comes just two days after Trump narrowly avoided assassination when a gunman opened fire at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing Trump’s right ear with a bullet and killing an audience member. The shooting has injected a rare theme of unity between Republicans and Democrats into the 2024 presidential campaign as lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have condemned political violence in the wake of the attack. Trump enters the convention as the vast majority of polls taken in the wake of his June 27 debate with President Joe Biden show him expanding his lead over the president and as Biden faces calls from within his own party to step aside in the race. In a victory for Trump on Monday, Florida-based federal Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the Justice Department’s classified documents case against him, ruling the agency violated the Constitution by appointing special prosecutor Jack Smith to handle the case without the approval of Congress or the president.
Trump Officially Secures GOP Presidential Nomination (Forbes)