CLEVELAND — #NeverTrump is not going to happen at the Republican National Convention.
Drama broke out on the convention floor Monday as a faction of delegates opposed to presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump tried — and failed — to force a roll call vote on rules that could have paved the way for someone else to win the party's presidential nomination later this week.
The anti-Trump forces wanted to reject rules that don't allow a so-called "conscience clause" that would allow delegates to vote for someone else even if the results of their state primary required them to support Trump on the first ballot. An earlier attempt to get that clause in the rules was shut down by the convention's rules committee.
When a state-by-state vote on the rules didn't happen later Monday (the first day of the four-day convention), the floor erupted with yells, chants, and boos from both sides. Current and former elected officials involved in the anti-Trump push complained that they were being unfairly sidelined.
"They just blatantly violated the rules," former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli told reporters.
Delegates heard from a slew of elected officials, party officials, and other GOP leaders on Monday afternoon. Melania Trump, the wife of the presumptive nominee, is one of the headliners for the evening session of the four-day gathering.
Delegates heard from a slew of elected officials, party officials, and other GOP leaders on Monday afternoon. Melania Trump, the wife of the presumptive nominee, is one of the headliners for the evening session of the four-day gathering.