Republicans will officially nominate Donald Trump for president on Tuesday, and as The Hill reports, "unity" will be a major theme as the party seeks to put forth Trump as its standard bearer a day after 'Never Trump' forces were all but vanquished. With the theme "Make America Work Again", a gaggle of speakers (from Paul Ryan to Tiffany Trump) is set to lay into the Obama administration’s handling of the economy.
Live Feed (due to gavel down at 1730ET)…
* * *
Here is what The Hill says to look out for tonight…
Party leaders take center stage
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), House Speaker Paul Ryan (Wis.) and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) are all scheduled to speak in a broad show of support for the party’s unconventional nominee. It could be McConnell’s most high-profile defense of Trump. Although the longtime senator has endorsed the presumptive nominee, he’s shied away from answering questions about Trump's campaign and recently questioned the candidate's credibility. Ryan’s speech will come one day after he branded Trump a conservative, but “not my kind of conservative.” While he hasn’t shied away from criticizing Trump on occasion, he’s often framed the election as a “binary choice.” McCarthy will speak not just as a House leader, but also as a California delegate selected by Trump’s campaign.
Dollars and cents
Tuesday’s theme is another play off of Trump’s campaign slogan. “Make America Work Again” will be a night devoted to hammering home how Trump’s successful business career makes him the best fit to lead the country’s economy. Kerry Woolard, general manager of Trump Winery, and Donald Trump Jr., an executive vice president at The Trump Organization, will speak for Trump. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson will also take to the stage to drive the economic message home. And Tuesday’s speeches will help answer a question perplexing delegates and the media alike: Who is Andy Wist? Wist, who owns a restoration and waterproofing company based out of New York, has little public presence or political involvement, so his inclusion on the Tuesday list of speakers surprised many. His presence in the New York real estate scene suggests that Wist worked with Trump at one point during the candidate's real estate career, but he hasn’t publicly commented on his role.
Christie and Carson
Tuesday will also bring speeches from two former Trump presidential rivals turned allies, Ben Carson and Chris Christie, both of whom criticized Trump during the primary. Christie’s speech will be especially noteworthy because it’s his first major speech in support of Trump since he was passed over for the vice presidential spot.
Ron Johnson stands alone
Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson stands alone as the only vulnerable Republican senator scheduled to deliver a speech on the convention stage, as many in his position look to keep space between themselves and Donald Trump. Politically vulnerable Republican Sens. John McCain (Ariz.), Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Rand Paul (Ky.), all caught up in their own primary races, are steering clear of the convention. Even Ohio Sen. Rob Portman won’t give a prime-time speech, despite the event taking place in his home state. The move is a reversal for Johnson, who told The Associated Press last week that he would skip the convention because he wanted "to spend as much time in Wisconsin as possible” as he prepares for a fight against former Sen. Russ Feingold (D). By accepting the high-profile role, Johnson will likely try to play to the GOP base and help boost his own turnout in the swing state. Recent polls show Johnson behind Feingold.
Tiffany Trump goes prime-time
At this point, America is on a first-name basis with the majority of Trump’s adult children — Ivanka, Eric and Donald Jr. On Tuesday night, 22-year-old Tiffany Trump gets her national-stage debut. Tiffany is Trump’s daughter with his second wife, Marla Maples. She spent some time on the campaign trail during her father’s swing through Pennsylvania, but nowhere near as much time as the three elder Trumps. She’s best known for her popular Instagram profile, as well as for a 2011 pop single she released, so the convention speech marks her first major foray into Republican politics, as well as her highest-profile appearance.
Celebrities for Trump
Trump promised a convention filled with pizzazz, and although the speaker list didn’t include many of the marquee names many had hoped for, Tuesday will include a handful of celebrities. Dana White, the president of Ultimate Fighting Championship, will take to the podium to tout Trump. White’s convention bio specifically notes that Trump hosted a fight at one of his New Jersey properties for the controversial mixed-martial art in the sport’s early years. While it’s blossomed into a major industry, many were concerned about the sport’s level of violence during its infancy. Natalie Gulbis, a professional golfer and occasional golf partner of Trump’s will also speak. She’s unabashedly pro-Trump, having written a blog post titled “The Donald Trump I Know,” where she lauded the GOP nominee as “gracious, generous and inspiring.” Soap opera star Kimberlin Brown is also scheduled to speak; she’s best known for her roles in "The Young and the Restless" and "The Bold and the Beautiful."
* * *
Polls show that Trump is getting the support of only about three-quarters of Republicans, a very low number. Conventions are often derided as four-day infomercials, but they serve an important purpose — getting an entire political party fired up behind the nominee. Will Cleveland do that for Trump?
The average convention poll bounce for Democrats since 1964 is 6.8 percent; for Republicans, it has been 5.3 percent, according to Gallup. Sometimes a candidate gets no bounce at all. Romney didn't in 2012.
Trump is currently running a few points behind his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. Cleveland gives him a chance to close that gap.
* * *
Full Republican National Convention Schedule:
via http://ift.tt/29S7STa Tyler Durden