The Republican National Convention will be held in Milwaukee on July 15 where Donald Trump, who just faced an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania campaign on Saturday night, will receive his party’s official 2024 nomination for president.
A bullet pierced his ear as Trump began to speak at the rally. The gunman, Thomas Mathew Crooks, 20, identified by the FBI, was killed by the law enforcement agents.
The four-day convention will feature televised speeches by rising Republican stars and Trump’s choice for a yet-to-be-announced vice-presidential running mate, while highlighting the party’s stance on such topics as abortion, immigration and the economy.
What is the Republican National Convention?
The convention will start in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from July 15 to July 18. Nearly 2,400 delegates from around the country will come together to officially nominate Trump during a roll call.
Party delegates from all 50 states and six US territories will officially select nominees for president and vice president at the convention.
The state announces how many delegates they will be delivering to each candidate in an alphabetical order. State party rules affect how delegates may vote during the convention.
Since Trump clinched the nomination in March, the vote is just a formality. He earned 2,243 delegates by the end of the primary process, according to CBS News.
Trump is expected to officially accept the nomination for the third time since 2016 in a speech on Thursday night.
Why Milwaukee?
Milwaukee is considered a Democratic stronghold, but hosting the convention in Wisconsin, a battleground state, puts the Republican Party’s message in front of key voters.
Republicans selected the location in 2022 after former President Donald Trump narrowly won Wisconsin in 2016 before losing it to President Biden in 2020 by a similar margin.
Who are the Speakers?
The speakers include lawmakers, television personalities and members of the former president’s family among others. Tucker Carlson, Vivek Ramaswamy and House Speaker Mike Johnson are on the list.
Trump’s wife Melania Trump and his daughter Ivanka Trump are not among speakers. The former president’s two older sons are expected to speak, along with his Donald Jr.’s fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Lara Trump, who is married to Eric Trump.
Trump’s rival Niki Haley has accepted the invitation to speak at the convention, according to CBS News.
When Will Trump Speak?
The vice-presidential nominee speaks on Wednesday, and the presidential nominee addresses the convention on Thursday. After the assassination attempt, Trump considered delaying his travel to the convention but instead decided that he cannot “allow a shooter or potential assassin to forge change to scheduling”, as per a report by CBS News.
What is the Party’s Policy Platform?
The Republican Party’s platform, a formal statement of policy positions, was approved by its platform committee, and released last week. It is expected to be approved on the first day of the national convention. The 16-page platform mentions Trump’s stand on the issue of abortion to be determined by individual states.
It makes no mention of a federal ban or protecting a foetus as a person under the US Constitution.
The platform also pledges that Trump and Republicans will build a missile defense shield over the United States, carry out the “largest deportation” of people in the country illegally, make permanent Trump’s signature tax cuts and pass “large tax cuts for workers”.
It also promises to demolish foreign drug cartels, protect Medicare and Social Security benefits for pensioners, and support public funds being used for private school tuition.
When is Democratic Party Convention?
The convention will be held from August 19-22 in Chicago. There are growing concerns about Joe Biden’s continuation in office for a second term. There is opposition to his nomination as the presidential nominee of the Democratic party.
Biden had secured 3,900 votes of the 4,000 votes during the primaries. It is this confidence due to which Biden is holding on the race. He remains the only candidate among the Democrats.