Despite the GOP’s best efforts to turn the Republican National Convention into a coronation for Donald Trump, a lot of us had a hunch that there would be a meltdown at some point in Cleveland. But we certainly didn’t expect it to happen on the very first day.
On Monday afternoon, the “Never Trump” forces mounted a last-ditch effort to stop Trump’s hostile takeover of the GOP. Under the convention rules, all pledged delegates are required to vote in accordance with how their states voted in the primary campaign. However, a group of delegates led by former Virginia attorney general Ken Cuccinelli and Utah Senator Mike Lee joined forces with the “Never Trump” movement to try to force a roll call vote on the rules.
To be fair, there was little chance that the “Never Trump” forces would achieve their goal of unbinding all delegates and allowing them to vote their conscience. However, the mere fact that a roll call vote on the rules would have even taken place would have left both Trump and the Republican National Committee with egg on their faces.
The insurgents needed the support of a majority of delegates from seven states and territories to force a floor vote. They managed to get the support of a majority of delegates from Alaska, Colorado, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, North Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia–almost double what they needed. But then Trump and the RNC started turning the screws. Watch how it unfolded on C-SPAN here (h/t to People for the American Way’s Right Wing Watch).
Rules committee chairwoman Enid Greene Mickelsen offered the usual boilerplate motion that the rules be adopted. The convention’s temporary chairman, Congressman Steve Womack of Arkansas, then announced that the rules had been adopted by voice vote, despite a furious outcry from the “Never Trump”/Cuccinelli-Lee faction.
Womack acted as if nothing had happened, and tried to move on to adopting the platform. However, he walked off the podium amid chants of “Shame! Shame!”, “Roll call! Roll call!” and “Point of order! Point of order!”
At one point, Cuccinelli threw down his credentials in protest. Lee explained that there were more than enough votes to put the rules to a vote before the full convention. “I cannot fathom what their thinking is,” he said.
Later, Womack returned to the podium and announced that there wasn’t enough support for a roll call vote. Watch here.
Womack called another voice vote–and again, it passed. After more chants of “roll call vote” and “point of order,” Womack finally recognized Utah Republican Party vice chairman Phil Wright, who moved for a roll call vote. Lee seconded the motion. Womack replied that while nine states had submitted requests for a roll call vote, enough delegates from three states had withdrawn their support that the motion couldn’t be considered.
This came after 15 minutes of heavy arm-twisting from the RNC and Trump campaign. According to Virginia delegate Beau Correll–who recently got a federal court to unbind Virginia’s delegates–it got ugly.
Trump campaign using strong arm tactics including physical force on the floor. https://t.co/4VMzt8FL0V pic.twitter.com/yMUnTWngK1
— B E A U C O R R E L L (@BeauCorrell) July 18, 2016
Ultimately, enough delegates from Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, and the District of Columbia pulled their support to invalidate the proposal. Additionally, Alaska supposedly didn’t have enough valid signatures to begin with. However, Correll claimed that they actually had enough support to force a vote.
Personally witnessed 10 states for roll call vote. There was 1 additional. Chairman ignored all points of order, said 9 and 3 invalid.#lies
— B E A U C O R R E L L (@BeauCorrell) July 18, 2016
In response, the Colorado and Iowa delegations walked out of Quicken Loans Arena altogether.
Looks like we may be seeing the Republican version of the 1968 Democratic National Convention. I don’t think anyone expected things to melt down this soon, though. Pass the popcorn.
