By Adrianna Pitrelli
TheStatehouseFile.com
CLEVELAND — In an unusual series of events, the anti-Trump movement tried to disrupt the nominating process Monday, but Hoosier delegates at the Republican National Convention were unfazed by the attempted revolt.
In a last-ditch effort to prevent Donald Trump from becoming the party’s nominee, some delegates tried to force a roll-call vote on the convention rules. Some delegates wanted to vote their conscience, but the rules require them to vote based on how voters in their state cast ballots. Instead of a roll-call vote, the convention chairman moved forward with the voice vote and declared the Trump supporters had won, causing chaos in the Quicken Loans Arena.
Delegates participating in the anti-Trump movement chanted “roll-call vote” and “point of order” from the convention floor, in an attempt to force an issue that failed last week before the convention’s rules committee. In turn, the pro-Trump delegates chanted their support for Trump.
Despite Indiana making headlines back in April for staunch opposition to Trump among GOP state leadership, Hoosier delegates said they do not support a revolt and don’t foresee a support of revolt by their colleagues — especially now that Gov. Mike Pence has been nominated as the party’s vice presidential candidate.
“I was thrilled when (Trump) brought Gov. Pence on board,” delegate Bill Davis of Fort Wayne said. “I think Pence will make a great vice president that will bring a lot of conservative ideas to Trump and his presidency.”
Davis said all Hoosier delegates will firmly stand behind the Trump-Pence ticket and none of them will attempt to split the party. Trump won all 57 of the Indiana delegates in May’s primary.
Conventions aim to unify the party, even though Monday’s uncommon events indicated otherwise. William Springer of Sullivan hopes the addition of Pence to the Trump campaign will help bring Republicans together.
“(Trump) picked a good choice when he chose Mike Pence,” Springer said. “Pence is a good, Christian, right-winged person and he will hopefully bring that unity to the Republican Party.”
