Lehigh Valley delegates arrive at RNC convention in aftermath of assassination attempt on Trump
The Republican National Convention, where former President Donald Trump will be formally nominated for president, begins today in Milwaukee in the shadow of an assassination attempt on Trump on Saturday in Pennsylvania.
Trump, who posted on Truth Social that a bullet that pierced the upper part of his right ear, will speak as planned on Thursday, the final night, according to media reports.
The RNC projects upward of 50,000 people will converge in the Wisconsin city.
They include 2,429 delegates – 2,325 pledged delegates and 104 unpledged delegates, according to Ballotpedia.
Among those attending will be Robert Smith Jr. of Allentown, who is an alternate delegate for Pennsylvania. He said the convention has taken on added meaning in light of the Saturday’s shooting in Butler County, where a spectator as well as the shooter died and two others were injured.
“[W]ith this attack on democracy and assassination attempt on President Trump we are more energetic, and honored to support President Trump,” Smith said in a text message before heading to Milwaukee with his wife Eva. “Being at the Republican convention is being a part of history; it's my duty, as an alternate delegate, to do everything I can to get President Trump elected again.”
To win the Republican nomination, a presidential candidate must receive support from a majority of delegates — an estimated 1,215 delegates. Trump has exceeded that number.
Pennsylvania will have 67 delegates — 16 statewide delegates who were awarded to Trump as the popular vote winner and 51 congressional district delegates (three per congressional district) who were directly elected by Republican voters in April but are technically not bound to a candidate.
In the 7th Congressional District, the delegates are Tom Carroll, chair of the Lehigh Valley Tea Party; Patrick Cubbage and Rochelle Pasquariello.
Besides Smith, alternates are Eve Cubbage and Dean Browning, a former Lehigh County commissioner.
Browning arrived Sunday in Milwaukee. He said people don’t seem “overly worried about their personal safety, particularly since there will be increased security.”
He said he talked to other convention-goers about the assassination attempt.
“The sentiments range from relief (that President Trump survived), to sadness (that an innocent participant was killed), to anger (that the other side has engaged in so much demonizing of President Trump), to confidence (that we will win decisively in Nov.),” he said in an email.
The four-day convention features a pack-filled agenda, including airings of the movie “Reagan,” starring Dennis Quade and Jon Voight; presentations by Microsoft that include “How AI Affects Women, Democracy and Elections,” and a session on the “Right Wing Revolution.” Also on the agenda are a book signing by Kari Lake, who is running for U.S. Senate in Arizona, and a session called “Salute to Pro-Israel Elected Officials.”
Speakers include Sens. Marco Rubio, JD Vance and Tim Scott and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, all of whom are said to be Trump’s vice presidential contenders, and Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz and Elise Stefanik. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who unsuccessfully challenged Trump in the GOP primary, is now part of the list of speakers.
Others include TV personality Tucker Carlson, country singer Lee Greenwood and Dana White, CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, according to media reports.
Trump’s sons, Donald Jr. and Eric Trump, will also address the delegates.
Meanwhile, the RNC has released its official platform for the convention, which was approved on July 8.
Not part of the party’s official platform, but being pushed by Democrats as a Republican blueprint for a Trump presidency, is Project 2025, a document whose authors include former members of Trump’s administration. Trump has distanced himself from the 922-page document and party leaders said it doesn’t represent their platform.
The convention will be livestreamed at least nightly on multiple online media platforms. Major networks including NBC, CBS and ABC will air nightly portions. C-Span will also air live broadcasts.