CLEVELAND, July 19 (UPI) — Donald Trump’s name has formally been placed in nomination for president at the Republican National Convention after two elected officials made the formal motions Tuesday afternoon.
Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, the first sitting senator to endorse Trump, offered the first motion in a speech from the dais. Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y., the first sitting member of either house of Congress to endorse Trump, seconded that motion in another speech.
Sessions rallied the delegates inside Quicken Loans Arena, saying Trump is the candidate best suited to solve the nation’s problems both foreign and domestic. Sessions said Trump displayed bravery, defying political and societal institutions predisposed to discouraging dissent from those running for high constitutional office.
“Unstated is a threat, if you persist in your complaints, we will attack you. But this time it’s different. One man, Donald Trump, was not intimidated. He would not be silenced. He spoke the truth, he gave voice to the people’s concerns,” Sessions said.
“The American voters heard this message and they rewarded his courage and his leadership with a huge victory in our primaries. He dispatched one talented, fine candidate after another. Momentum continued to grow. A movement started.”
After Trump’s name was put into nomination, all the state and territorial delegations will go through a roll call process to announce how many delegates support Trump and how many support other primary candidates.
Several of Trump’s rivals have refused to release their delegates, meaning by party rules, the vote will not be unanimous. Ultimately how many vote for Trump’s former rivals will be cast is unclear, though CNN reports the candidate’s son, Donald Trump Jr., a delegate from New York, is expected to cast the votes putting his father past the 1,237 delegates needed to clinch the nomination.
