MILWAUKEE — A vice presidential candidate. A message of unity. A party atmosphere.
The Republican National Convention has officially begun, with Republican politicians, delegates and voters gathering in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for a jubilant celebration as former President Trump is formally nominated as the 2024 presidential candidate.
But this year’s event comes on the heels of Saturday’s assassination attempt on President Trump that shocked the political world, muting the remarks at the quadrennial event.
But the convention has been marked by its classic trademarks: spirited costumes, passionate speeches and criticism of the Democratic Party.
Here are five memorable moments from the first day of the Republican Convention in Milwaukee.
President Trump Selects Vice Presidential Candidate
Washington’s latest favorite social game has finally come to an end.
President Trump formally nominated Republican Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio as his running mate on Monday.
Trump revealed his choice of the first-term senator, populist conservative and America First firebrand in a Truth Social post midway through the slate of states that had formally nominated him, and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) announced the news on the convention floor.
“Utah, the 45th state admitted to the Union, proudly casts all 40 of its votes today for President Donald J. Trump and his newly announced running mate, my friend and colleague, J.D. Vance,” Lee said.
Vance and his wife Usha then walked onto the convention floor to loud cheers and chants of “USA, USA” and celebrated with the Ohio delegation.
Other candidates were quick to praise the choice, including the other two finalists for the vice presidential spot, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Gov. Doug Burgum (R-North Dakota).
“#TrumpVance2024!!!” Rubio wrote on X.
Burgum on Ex said Vance’s “rural background and service to his country make him a powerful voice for America First.”
Politicians weren’t the only ones to praise the selection. Tennessee Rep. Beth Campbell, who is attending her fifth caucus, told The Hill that Vance has an “All-American” story that “resonates with ordinary Americans.”
House Republicans present at rally shooting support pro-Trump delegates
A shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday left the former president with a bullet lodged in his ear and one attendee dead, casting a shadow over this year’s party convention.
Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa.), who was in the audience at the rally when shots rang out during Trump’s speech, was seen on the convention floor with Pennsylvania’s delegation, helping the Keystone State pledge its delegates their support for Trump.
Asked by The Hill if he felt any different this week in the wake of the shootings, Meuser said, “I do.”
“I was certainly there, and I think it was very traumatic for a lot of people,” he said from the convention floor. “It was a near-death experience for the president. But he obviously responded incredibly well to it, showed all kinds of moral fortitude, strength of character, and here we are.”
“I think it gave people more resolve than sadness or regret,” he added.
Meanwhile, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said Saturday’s events had dampened his voice at the convention, at least for the first 24 hours.
“You can feel it a little bit, but the rhetoric isn’t as high. I’ve been here 24 hours,” Tuberville told The Hill in a brief interview at the convention center. “People are more relaxed after what happened this weekend.”
“That’s a good thing,” he added. “That’s a very good thing.”
McConnell was booed at the convention
Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky pledged to rally delegates from the Bluegrass State to support Trump, but was greeted with jeers and boos.
There were a few cheers, but McConnell’s voice was drowned out by the jeers echoing through the auditorium and he spoke in a halting manner.
“Mr. Speaker, Kentucky is proud to cast its 46 votes for the next President of the United States, Donald J. Trump,” McConnell said.
His relationship with Trump has deteriorated for years, ever since he criticized the former president for not accepting the results of the 2020 election. The two hadn’t spoken for several years but appeared to reconcile when Trump met with Senate Republicans in June. Still, feuds remain between them and some of Trump’s most staunch supporters in the Senate.
McConnell has said he will step down as the Senate Republican leader after the 2024 election, ending his more than 15-year tenure as conference leader, but will serve out his full term as a senator.
Fun patriotic costumes at conventions
The Fiserv Forum arena is all red, but that’s where the similarities in costumes end. From the patriotic to the quirky, from elephant ears to American flags, Milwaukee attendees are trying to make a statement.
Delegates have been an enthusiastic show of support for Trump, wearing clothing with large letters and large photos of him on them.
One outfit that made waves on social media and the big screen was that of California representative Blake Marnell, who wore a suit covered in bricks.
“This is my support for the border wall,” Marnell, known on social media as @Brick_Suit, told The Hill.
Jim Walsh, an alternate delegate from Connecticut who was wearing a large elephant hat, told The Hill he was here for the “party aspect.”
“But I am hopeful that Donald Trump will give a positive speech and that the party and the country will come together a little more after everything that’s happened,” he added.
President Trump makes first public appearance since shooting
President Trump made his first public appearance since the shooting late Saturday night.
The crowd erupted in cheers as Trump, with his ear bandaged, walked into the auditorium, and while Lee Greenwood sang “God Bless the USA,” Trump made his way to a booth and shook hands with Tucker Carlson, Rep. Byron Donald (R-Fla.), Vance and family members before taking a seat.
