USA TODAY International Edition
Convention features future presidential candidates
Sure, conventions are designed to showcase the current year’s presidential nominee — but they also provide platforms for those looking to seize the party mantle in the future.
Despite its unusual nature, Donald Trump’s convention remains a forum for potential presidential candidates in four or eight years, from past contenders like Ted Cruz and Scott Walker to much- speculated- about contenders like Tom Cotton and Paul Ryan.
Conventions in general are “a platform to show their wares and impress people,” said political analyst Stuart Rothenberg.
Nicole Hemmer, a research associate at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, said “the role of conventions these days is to promote the party brand, the nominee, and up- and- comers.”
One difference this year is that some prospective presidential candidates are measuring themselves by their distance from Trump’s
the states Tuesday evening.
That didn’t mean the nomination process — usually a formulaic ritual but marked with a bit more suspense this year as “Never Trump” protests loomed over the convention — went off without a hitch.
The first bump in the road was in the District of Columbia, which tried to cast 10 delegates for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and nine for Ohio Gov. John Kasich. The convention secretary overruled the delegation, ordering that all 19 delegates be awarded to Trump.
After the roll call, the Alaska delegation protested that its votes had been miscounted. It cast 12 votes for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, 11 for Trump, and five for Rubio. The secretary of the convention cast all 28 for Trump.
After a 21- minute delay, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus explained that under an obscure rule affecting only four states, Alaska’s votes had been reallocated to Trump after the other candidates dropped out.
In past conventions, Priebus said, those delegations wouldn’t have been allowed to even state the original vote from the floor.
“I hope you saw tonight that we allowed for other votes of other candidates running to be read. I know that was different than Tampa ( the home of the 2012 convention), and I hope you all appreciated that,” he said.
Similar irregularities were summarily dispensed with, making the few protest votes irrelevant to the final tally.
The convention chairman, House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, announced before the roll call that it wasn’t each delegation’s announcement that determined the tally.
Instead, under the rules adopted Monday, the secretary must record the votes according to state laws and state and national party rules — leaving no room for bound delegates to make a conscientious objection.
The first bump in the road was in the District of Columbia, which tried to cast 10 delegates for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and nine for Ohio Gov. John Kasich.