J.D. Vance

For some time now, Trump's nomination had been all but a done deal. But the name of his running mate was not. After months of speculation about who would accompany the former president, the Republican hopeful unveiled it moments before the start of the Republican National Convention: J.D. Vance.

"I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance."

Donald Trump

"I stand here humbled, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude to say that I officially accept his nomination to be vice president of the United States of America. For the past eight years, President Trump has given everything he has to fight for the people of our country. Instead of choosing the easy path, he chose to endure abuse, slander and persecution. And he did it because he loves this country," Vance said,while accepting the nomination.

Peter Navarro

After spending four months in a Florida prison for contempt of a congressional subpoena, Peter Navarro was released. And instead of going home to be with those close to him, the former Trump adviser traveled directly to Milwaukee to attend the Republican National Convention.

Navarro did not miss the opportunity to take the stage and address Trump and the rest of the Republicans gathered there, making many references to the judicial process in which he was involved. A case led by "Joe Biden and his injustice department," in his words.

Kai Trump

Kai Madison Trump, Trump's granddaughter and Donald Trump Jr.'s daughter, grabbed much of the attention during the third day of the Republican National Convention. Her surprise presence on stage raised applause from Republicans.

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The eldest of Trump's grandchildren did not deliver a policy speech. She did make mentions of the more familiar side of her grandfather.

"To me, he’s just a normal grandpa. He gives us candy and soda when our parents aren’t looking, he always wants to know how we’re doing in school."

Kai Trump

"He always encourages me to push myself to be the most successful person I can be. The media makes my grandpa seem like a different person, but I know him for who he is. He’s very caring and loving. He truly wants the best for this country, and he will fight every single day to make America great again," Trump's granddaughter added.

Hulk Hogan

Probably the appearance of Hulk Hogan was the most stellar of all. The legendary wrestler, 70, delighted the Republicans and dared to rip his shirt off like back in the day, when he faced his rivals in the rings.

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Babydog

Not all the attendees were human. There was also a place for animals. Specifically, Babydog, the dog of West Virginia Governor, Jim Justice.

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The Republican nominee for president entered the arena in style. After being introduced by Dana White, singer Lee Greenwood gave a live rendition of "God Bless the USA" in front of a screen with a giant illuminated sign reading "Trump."

Once at the podium, standing before, Melania Trump, J.D. Vance and his children, he began by thanking people for their support after the assassination attempt, and then chronicled what had happened. He clarified before he began that he was not going to tell it again because it was such a "painful" memory.

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"I felt very safe because I had God on my side," the former president confessed, met with a standing ovation from those in attendance. "If I had not moved my head at that very last instant, the assassin’s bullet would have perfectly hit its mark and I would not be here tonight," he continued.

Trump mentioned the victim of the shooting, Corey Comperatore, whose family sent his firefighter uniform to place on stage. The former president hugged the uniform as a sign of respect and then asked for a moment of silence.

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'One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all'

Trump asserted that criminalizing dissent must stop and took aim at the Justice Department for its persecution of its political opponents, using himself as an example.

One by one, he thanked members of his family who were present, slowing for a moment on Barron and then moving on to his grandchildren.

The thanks continued for a few minutes, already with a slightly less emotional and more energetic tone, he highlighted Dana White and Hulk Hogan, who again received a standing ovation from the audience.

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Trump to JD Vance: 'Enjoy the ride'

Seconds later, Trump mentioned J.D. Vance, whom he introduced as the "next vice president of the United States," along with his "incredible" wife, Usha.

He spoke of the senator and his wife as "two smart people," given that they met at Yale University, which caused the Ohio Republican to laugh.

Finally, Trump assured that it was an "honor" to select Vance and that he still had a long way to go, so he recommended that he enjoy the journey.

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'I am here tonight to lay out a vision for the whole nation'

Trump went on to speak on the accomplishments of his previous four years in the White House, mentioning the creation of the Space Force, low taxes, economic data, the stock market record before the pandemic and legislation on the "Right to Try" to give certain patients the ability to more easily test experimental treatments.

In turn, he made a couple of mentions of the 2020 election, claiming that they "used COVID to cheat" and criticize the Biden administration, which he called the worst in U.S. history. And of course, even though it wasn't in the script, he named the president a couple of times.

"We’ll do it again, but we’ll do it even better. ... The tax rate was too high and the legal complications were far too great. I changed both of them, and hundreds of billions of dollars by Apple and so many other companies would work back into our nation," he added.

https://twitter.com/Voz_US/status/1814141381805265077

Platform for 2024

The Republican also detailed the GOP election platform for November, anticipating among other things lowering taxes, placing tariffs on China, creating of hundreds of thousands of jobs, bringing peace to the Middle East, closing the southern border and eliminating regulations.

He promised to respect taxpayer money, claiming that waste is currently the rule. "All of the trillions of dollars that are sitting there not yet spent, we will redirect that money for important projects like roads, bridges, dams, and we will not allow it to be spent on meaningless 'Green New Scam' ideas," he added.

"So tonight, whether you’ve supported me in the past or not, I hope you will support me in the future, because I will bring back the American dream. ... With great humility, I am asking you to be excited about the future of our country," he continued;

He also mentioned that he will protect social security, bring down inflation and favor the middle class by boosting wages, although he placed special focus on the "invasion" of the southern border. "We will stop it and we will stop it quickly," clarifying, however, that he is more than happy with legal immigration.

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He showed the famous chart he looked at at the Pennsylvania rally, which shows illegal immigration since Biden came to the White House in 2021.

He also promised to carry out the "largest deportation operation in the history of our country," even larger than President Dwight Eisenhower's.

Message "to the entire world"

Without beating around the bush, Trump sent a clear message "to the entire world": "We want our hostages back — and they better be back before I assume office, or you will be paying a very big price."

"With our victory in November, the years of war, weakness and chaos will be over," he noted, promising that the diplomacy of a future Trump administration is also going to be based on the premise of "America first."

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To protect citizens, Trump promised the construction of an iron dome similar to Israel's. "But now we have unbelievable technology. And why should other countries have this, and we don’t? ... We’re going to be sure that nothing can come and harm our people," he indicated.

Grand finale

Trump ended his speech with a message of unity, remembering the founding fathers and calling for an end to ideological differences. He promised to honor the office and not let down the "forgotten men and women" who will never be forgotten again.

"Quite simply put, we will very quickly make America great again," the Republican concluded.

He was then joined by his family, and the balloon release began. An estimated 100,000 balloons fell from the ceiling in Milwaukee, marking the end of the Republican National Convention.

In addition to the former president, who of course was the star of the night, personalities such as Tucker Carlson, Dana White and Hulk Hogan took the RNC stage.

The former president captivated the audience with his speech, who listened attentively despite its length. "Hardly anyone moved, and a large number of people remained standing on the floor throughout the speech, which went on for more than an hour," reported The Hill.

At the end, after the final "make America great again," 100,000 balloons fell from the arena roof as Trump and J.D. Vance waved from the stage with their respective families.

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Highlights of the final night of the RNC.

First to take the stage were Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Richard Hudson, who are on a mission to get more Republicans into the Senate and House, respectively. Both pledged to work to get Trump to the White House with both chambers of Congress in his favor.

Linda McMahon, current president of the America First Policy Institute and former small business administrator under the Trump administration, told a tender story of the former president playing with his grandchildren, to then assure that the former president is a "good man" and a "fighter" who will defend the country at all costs.

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Later came Mike Pompeo, who served as CIA director and secretary of state during part of the former president's term. Pompeo went on to review Trump's diplomatic achievements, among which he mentioned not having started wars, destroying ISIS, intimidating Vladimir Putin and supporting Israel to the detriment of Iran.

The former official trashed Biden for withdrawing from Afghanistan and for looking at his watch during the tribute to fallen servicemen, which he called "indecent." Pompeo concluded "Let's elect a president who isn't ashamed of our nation and will never apologize for our country. And when we do, we will put a strong, America-first leader back in the White House. We will reelect Donald J. Trump, and we will make America special, exceptional and, of course, great again," Pompeo concluded.

Trump made his first entrance after 7 p.m. local time. Met with a standing ovation, he took his seat after greeting Ted Cruz, Steve Daines and some of the Republican Senate candidates.

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Among the many clips that flashed across the RNC screens was Ronald Reagan asking those present if they were better off than they were four years ago. The video recalled the 1980 debate, in which the Republican addressed the audience for one of the most remembered speeches in the history of presidential debates.

One of the most anticipated speeches of the night

Tucker Carlson received a standing ovation as he took the stage and responded with his classic laugh.

"Just [be]cause you call yourself the president doesn't mean that much inherently. I can call my dog the CEO of Hewlett Packard. It doesn't mean she is," the presenter expressed, eliciting laughter from those present.

"You could take, I don't know, a mannequin, a dead person and make them president. ... I'm just saying, theoretically possible," he continued.

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Finally, Carlson highlighted Trump as the leader capable of unifying the country in these tense times. "He did his best to bring the country together, and I thought, this is the divisive figure, this is the irresponsible person? No. This is the most responsible, unifying behavior of a leader I think I've ever seen," he culminated.

Hulk Hogan goes viral at the RNC

Former WWE pro wrestler Hulk Hogan entered the event with the classic song he used in his wrestling days.

Met with cheers from the crowd, he stayed in character for a few seconds, then introduced himself by his first and last name, Terry Bollea. He assured that he could not remain silent after the assassination attempt that Trump suffered in Pennsylvania.

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"When they tried to kill the next president of the United States, enough was enough, and I said let 'Trumpamania' run wild, brother," he expressed, then ripped up his T-shirt to reveal one with the Trump-Vance ticket.

"When [Trump] gets back in the White House, America will start winning again," concluded Hogan, who looked at his friend from a distance and held his hand to his heart.

Eric Trump and Dana White

The president's son and the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) were in charge of setting the stage for the arrival of Trump, who closed the night with his speech, the longest in the history of the convention.

Eric Trump recalled the assassination attempt on his father to exemplify his character: "The whole world saw your strength as you stood up. You wiped the blood off your face, and you put your fist in the air in a moment that will be remembered as one of the most courageous acts in the history of American politics. You shouted, 'Fight, fight, fight!'"

Dana White based his speech on the decision voters will have to make in November. "In my mind, the choice is clear, but this election, we all get to choose. I know I’ going to choose strength and security. I know I’m going to choose opportunity and prosperity. I know I’m going to choose real American leadership and a real American badass," he assured.

He concluded that the Republican nominee is the "best choice" for president of the United States, then introduced Trump, who made an entrance in style.

Trump's epic entrance

Of course, the former president was not going to be low-key at his third convention in a row.

This time, Lee Greenwood sang his classic song "God Bless the USA" live while a light show took place in Milwaukee. Seconds later, the screen lifted and Trump emerged with a giant illuminated sign bearing his name, astonishing those in attendance.

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The Fox News host, who did not use a script, focused his speech on highlighting the leadership of former President Donald Trump after miraculously surviving the attack against him last weekend in Butler, Pa.

According to Tucker, he has never seen such genuine leadership in his life, asserting that former President Trump, who took the stage later on, has become the "unifying" leader of the United States.

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"So, I watched the video of what happened in Butler, Pennsylvania about 15 or 50 times. I think I was one of about 8 billion people around the world who watched it, and the more I watched it, the more it struck me that everything was different after that moment, everything," said Carlson, who is now much closer to the former president.

"This convention is different, the nation is different, the world is different, Donald Trump is different (...) And he stood up after being shot in the face, bloodied, and put his hand up. I thought at that moment, that was a transformation. This was no longer a man (...) he was no longer just a political party's nominee, or a former president, or a future president, this was the leader of a nation."

Subsequently, the speaker stressed that what happened with Trump transcends politics or public office. According to Carlson, from that moment on the Republican nominee assumed a unifying role in a country facing a crisis of polarization, claiming that the former president chose not to employ inflammatory discourse when everything could have allowed him to take that path.

"You can't name someone a leader. A leader is the bravest man. That's who the leader is. That is true in all human organizations. This is a law of nature, and in that moment, Donald Trump, months before the presidential election, became the leader of this nation," the broadcaster continued before revealing part of his conversation with Trump that night.

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"And I have to say, you know, I think it [the attack] changed him. I reached out to Trump within hours of it, that night, and what he said to me that night, having just been shot in the face, he said not a single word about himself. He said only how amazed he was and how proud he was of the crowd, which didn't run."

Carlson said that, in his opinion, the supporters didn't run because they took courage after seeing Trump's courageous reaction after being shot in the ear.

"His courage gave them heart. A leader's courage gives courage to his people. And the second thing I thought was, this is the selfish guy I've been hearing about for nine years, really, not a word about himself, about his people, period," the host stated, noting Trump's political maturity.

"And the second thing I noticed (...) is that he turned down the most obvious opportunity in politics to inflame the nation after being shot. To inflame the nation, which is an opportunity that almost every other politician I've ever met and certainly his opponents would have taken instantly," Carlson declared.

"He did his best to bring the country together. And I thought, this is the divisive figure, this is the irresponsible person. No. This is the most responsible, unifying behavior of a leader I think I've ever seen," he concluded.

Introduced by his wife, Usha, the Ohio senator entered to a standing ovation from the audience. Without much beating around the bush, he began by accepting the party's nomination for vice president.

He then recalled the assassination attempt on his running mate. "Look at that picture of him (the one with the fist), defiant, with his fist in the air. When Trump stood on that field in Pennsylvania, all of America stood with him. And what did he call us to do for our country? To fight. To fight for America," Vance said of Trump's gesture of raising his fist and encouraging his rally attendees to "fight."

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In the minutes that followed, Vance appealed to his life story in what appeared to be a summary of the autobiography that brought him to national fame, "Hillbily Ellegy." He recalled his early days in poverty in Middletown, Ohio, where he was rescued from the streets by his grandmother, "Mamaw," who even threatened to run over one of Vance's friends with her car if he didn't stop hanging out with him since she considered him a bad influence on her grandson.

"Trump represents America's last hope"

The Republican also built up the kind of leader America needs, which he personified in Donald Trump, one who "fights to bring back our great American businesses."

"President Trump represents America's last hope to restore that which, if lost, will never be found again. A country where a middle-class guy, born far from power can stand on this stage as the next vice president," Vance added.

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Trump's running mate made several mentions of the Rust Belt, the Republican campaign's target for the November election.

In one of the night's most emotional moments, Vance pointed to his mother, who watched proudly from the stands. "That's my boy," the senator's mother whispered to Mike Johnson, speaker of the House of Representatives, as those in attendance applauded her.

"I will be a vice president who will never forget where he came from"

Vance delivered a full-throated defense of Trump's policy agenda, promising to protect local workers and industries, always prioritizing "buy American."

"Mr. President, I will never take for granted the trust you placed in me. And what an honor it is to be able to help you embody the extraordinary vision you have for this country," he continued, staring toward the box where Trump stood.

"I promise you something, to all the forgotten communities, I will be a vice president who will never forget where he came from. And for every day of the next four years that I walk in the White House alongside President Trump, I will do it for you, for your family, for your future and for this great country," Vance ended his speech.

The arrival of both to the RNC podium was quite similar since, at first, they were not going to deliver a speech, something that changed in the last days.

However, despite their differences with the former president, they focused on unifying the party behind Trump. After listening to them, Congressman Byron Donald assured the party was "completely unified."

"A unified Republican Party is essential"

The first to take the stage was Haley, whose speech was one of the most anticipated of the night, given that she was the last Republican to drop out of the primaries, even facing Trump head-on. With the intention of clearing doubts from the beginning, and after being received with almost total applause by those present, she assured that "Donald Trump has my strong endorsement."

Although she acknowledged that she does not agree on everything with the former president, who smiled from a distance, the former governor of South Carolina said she was happy to defend him in the name of unity.

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"We should acknowledge that there are some Americans who don't agree with Donald Trump 100% of the time. I happen to know some of them and I want to speak to them tonight. My message to them is simple: you don't have to agree with Trump 100% of the time to vote for him. Take it from me. I have not always agreed with President Trump. We agree more often than we disagree," she said.

At the same time, she highlighted the need for Republicans to remain united to defeat the current president, assuring that a vote for Biden is really a vote for Kamala Harris.

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"President Trump asked me to speak to this convention in the name of unity. For the sake of our nation, we have to go with Donald Trump. I'm here tonight because we have a country to save. And a unified Republican Party is essential to saving it", she added.

"Life was more affordable when Donald Trump was president."

Cheered on, Governor DeSantis was even harsher against the country Joe Biden is leaving after four years in the White House.

He began by highlighting his six years in Florida and referred to the margin by which he won re-election in 2022, the widest since 1982. "For decades, my home state saw elections determined by razor thin margins. Today, due to bold leadership, the Democratic Party lies in ruins. The left is in retreat. Florida is a solid Republican state," he noted.

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As for Biden, he asserted that America cannot tolerate another four years of a "weekend at Bernie's presidency," eliciting laughter from Trump.

He also referenced the stamina of the current president, painting him as weak in an increasingly dangerous world. "Our enemies do not confine their designs to between 10 am and 4 pm. We need – we need a commander in chief who can lead 24 hours a day and 7 days a week," the governor continued.

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"Joe Biden has failed this nation. As a veteran, I was appalled when 13 of our service members were killed in Afghanistan due to Joe Biden's dereliction of duty. As a citizen, as a husband and as a father, I am alarmed that the current president of the United States lacks the capability to discharge the duties of his office," he added.

"My fellow Republicans, let's send Joe Biden back to his basement and let's send Donald Trump back to the White House. Life was more affordable when Donald Trump was president. Our border was safer under the Trump administration, and our country was respected when Donald Trump was our commander in chief," DeSantis concluded.

Trump announced Vance just hours before the start of the Republican National Convention, whose first night saw the former president make his first public appearance since his assassination attempt. Precisely, the Republican ticket's first campaign stop will be exactly one week after what happened in Pennsylvania.

As for the event security, and as reported by Fox News, "the rally will be held at the Van Andel Arena, and Secret Service officials have warned the Trump campaign not to hold outdoor rallies."

Politics

Trump's reasons for choosing JD Vance as VP: a nod to the Midwest, loyalty and the future of the MAGA movement

Joaquín Núñez

Politics

Excitement erupts in the Republican Party after Trump-Vance ticket announcement

Joaquín Núñez

Trump called Vance to confirm he was his choice less than 20 minutes after going public, even adding the Ohio senator's seven-year-old son to the call. Moments later, he briefly justified his choice with a post on Truth Social.

"After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio. J.D. honorably served our Country in the Marine Corps, graduated from Ohio State University in two years, Summa Cum Laude, and is a Yale Law School Graduate, where he was Editor of The Yale Law Journal, and President of the Yale Law Veterans Association. J.D.’s book, 'Hillbilly Elegy,' became a Major Best Seller and Movie, as it championed the hardworking men and women of our Country. J.D. has had a very successful business career in Technology and Finance, and now, during the Campaign, will be strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond," Trump wrote.

Vance adds extra appeal to the ticket in states the former president made clear he plans to win in November. He is also an eloquent speaker, able to defend his platform on television and in debates, which is much to Trump's liking.

For starters, born James Donald Bowman 39 years ago, the same age at which Richard Nixon agreed to be Dwight Eisenhower's running mate more than half a century earlier, the senator was chosen as VP just hours before the Republican National Convention. Behind closed doors, Politico reported that his boosters were Donald Trump Jr. and Tucker Carlson.

Vance himself learned he had been chosen just 20 minutes before the decision was made public, and it has already been confirmed that he will debate Kamala Harris in the coming months. With all that is involved in choosing a vice president, the Trump campaign clearly had to do an exhaustive analysis on his finalists and ended up opting for the senator, which shows their strategy heading into the November elections.

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Vance's choice shows how confident Trump is for November

His stature and attractive blue eyes aside, the Ohio senator would balance the ticket in terms of age and region, being able to pull votes in key states. If elected, the senator would be the first vice president in history to hail from Ohio.

In terms of electoral strategy, choosing Vance goes hand in hand with choosing Milwaukee as the site of this year's Republican National Convention, given that it highlights the type of voter and region they are trying to win over. In this case it is the Rust Belt, but particularly with a focus on Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania also taking into account the proximity to Minnesota.

At the same time, it makes it clear that Trump is very confident that he will defeat Biden in November. Indeed, the former president could have tried to expand and diversify his electorate even more, to try to paint red states like Virginia or New Hampshire. If that had been his goal, names like Tim Scott or Glenn Youngkin would have been ideal.

However, understanding that reclaiming at least one state in the Midwest is enough, he bet on the candidate who could add the most in this region of the country. Vance's life story has the potential to empathize with the middle and working class in these states, although he only needs to win back one state. Trump currently leads comfortably in Arizona, Georgia and Nevada. Assuming his comfortable lead holds and that this year's polls do not overestimate Republican support in the Silver State, he would return to the White House if he manages to add just one Midwestern state.

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The golden ticket to this take over is found in "Hillbilly Elegy," Vance's autobiography that catapulted him to national fame in 2016. In less than 400 pages, the author gives a raw account of his childhood and adolescence in the Midwest, discusses the region's issues and chronicles his path from poverty to Yale in a nod toward meritocracy.

The senator is perceived as one of the most "Trumpist" members within the party, so it would seem that the former president is looking to build new leadership in the MAGA movement for the coming years. In spite of ideological similarity, there is balance in their respective ages, given that Vance has lived less than half as long as Trump.

"Able deliver the America first punch in the mouth with class"

This is how Jesse Watters, a Fox News anchor, defined Vance. Indeed, one of Vance's main assets is that he is a very eloquent and articulate speaker, a skill he honed many years ago at Yale Law School.

It's no secret to anyone how much Trump values someone who does well in television interviews and debates and is able defend his policies, something the Ohio senator knows how to do very well, even in more "hostile" studios.

According to Ben Shapiro, Vance has the ability to be pragmatic in his policy positions, something he shares with Trump. For example, he flirts economically between protectionism and free markets, also moderating his position on abortion from being in favor of a 15-week national ban to supporting voters in each state determining abortion legislation.

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Trump also remarked on the fact that his running mate should be "loyal" and able to defend him, subtly attacking Mike Pence. Vance happens to be one of the closest senators to the president, even somehow "owing" him part of his political career, given that Trump endorsed his candidacy in a close Republican primary in 2022, which subsequently led him to the Senate.

Last but not least, he is someone who has already participated in federal elections, which means that everything his rivals could have found against him would have already been published. Although there can always be some surprises, this can create peace of mind for the campaign.

Damage control

Of course Vance also has weaker points as a running mate. Perhaps the potentially most damaging to the ticket is the fact that he was highly critical of Donald Trump in the past, something that was brought against him in a recent interview with Fox News. He went so far as to say that those who voted for Trump were "idiots" and that the mogul's rhetoric was "cultural heroin."

The senator defended himself by saying that the criticism came prior to Trump's presidency, so he changed his mind after finding that the two were politically aligned. "I was wrong about Donald Trump. I thought he wasn't going to be a good president and he turned out to be a great president. (...) When you're wrong about something you have to change your mind and be honest with people about it," he told Brett Baier.

Vance also has a reputation for being very vocal when it comes to defending his viewpoints, leading Politico to call him "radical" and the "centerpiece of the new right", which potentially opens the door for the Biden campaign to focus their energy on tarnishing Vance's reputation and for the moment reserving harsh criticism against Trump, the recent survival of an assassination attempt.

Trump communicated his decision on his Truth Social account, where he briefly explained the reasons that led him to Vance, discarding in the process names such as Marco Rubio, Doug Burgum and Tim Scott, among others.

"After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio. J.D. honorably served our Country in the Marine Corps, graduated from Ohio State University in two years, Summa Cum Laude, and is a Yale Law School Graduate, where he was Editor of The Yale Law Journal, and President of the Yale Law Veterans Association. J.D.’s book, 'Hillbilly Elegy,' became a Major Best Seller and Movie, as it championed the hardworking men and women of our Country. J.D. has had a very successful business career in Technology and Finance, and now, during the Campaign, will be strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond," the former president wrote.

Hours after the announcement, it was confirmed that Kamala Harris agreed to debate Vance. Although the date has not yet been confirmed, CBS News will be the media outlet in charge of organizing the event. As reported by CNN, Vance learned that he had been chosen about 20 minutes before Trump's publication.

The Ohio senator sparked excitement within the GOP, as senators, governors and opinion leaders along the whole ideological spectrum of the party celebrated his election on social media. Notable among them were Marco Rubio, Jim Jordan, Ben Shapiro, Chris Sununu, Ben Carson, Mike Johnson, Ted Cruz and Gov. Mike DeWine, who will be in charge of choosing Vance's replacement should the Republican ticket prevail in November.

Top reactions to the Trump-Vance ticket.

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https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1812960060274057678

https://twitter.com/Jim_Jordan/status/1812928924382601564

https://twitter.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/1812935112314740992

https://twitter.com/ChuckGrassley/status/1812932181809111044

https://twitter.com/SpeakerMcCarthy/status/1812967503083315629

https://twitter.com/megynkelly/status/1812928102378377471

https://twitter.com/GovMikeDeWine/status/1812930201724096523

https://twitter.com/LindseyGrahamSC/status/1812929026492928144

https://twitter.com/RandPaul/status/1812939497031549090

https://twitter.com/SarahHuckabee/status/1812930639370269144

https://twitter.com/GlennYoungkin/status/1812933234860388621

https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1812929459668066416

https://twitter.com/ChrisSununu/status/1812938851477774573

https://twitter.com/TimRyan/status/1812948757287477591

https://twitter.com/realchrisrufo/status/1812928424090214650

https://twitter.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1812935272046133285

https://twitter.com/RogerJStoneJr/status/1812953484591046894

Attempts to stop him, some of them very powerful, do nothing but strengthen him. It already happened with the judicial processes that were supposed to undermine his chances. The opposite happened: the perception that it was a political persecution strengthened his support and the primaries were doomed. Any other candidate was seen as a traitor siding with the Democratic plot against Trump. There was no more story and the primaries were a cakewalk for Donald.

Then came the debate with Biden in which the only thing Trump had to do was control himself and not abuse a person with obvious health problems that would render him unfit for any serious responsibility, let alone the Presidency of the country. It is no longer possible to deny the evidence and what a few weeks ago was a conspiracy theory became, magically and in record time, the editorial of the New York Times.

Simply unstoppable

Next up is the Republican Convention in Milwaukee, which did not appear as placid as on other occasions. The reason? The proposed change in the platform of the party to eliminate the promise to promote a federal law against abortion. As Princeton professor Robert P. George recalled a few days ago, "every four years since 1984 socially liberal Republicans have tried to remove from the Republican Party platform the clause committing the party to work for national legislation protecting the constitutional right of unborn children to equal protection of the laws." So far, pro-lifers managed to resist these attempts, but now it looks like they are going to be defeated. That reference has been removed from the Republican platform to be approved this week, being replaced by the assertion that abortion policy is the exclusive competence of the states.

Donald Trump, who can take credit for the appointment of the Supreme Court justices who provided the votes needed to overturn Roe v. Wade, understands that he has fulfilled his commitment to the pro-life movement. In his political calculations he thinks that keeping that promise can give an argument to the Democratic campaign to mobilize a fringe of the electorate, while, on the other hand, he considers that the pro-life votes are assured because, which pro-lifer is going to vote for probably the most abortionist president in history?

Who will now be able to oppose a Trump whom God seems to have miraculously preserved from death?

Nevertheless, during these last days more than a hundred pro-life organizations and leaders announced that they were going to fight the battle at the Republican Convention to restore the pro-life commitment in the party platform. Was a rebellion of the socially conservative possible? We will never know. The Trump assassination attempt has once again paved the way for him.

Who will now be able to oppose a Trump whom God seems to have miraculously preserved from death? How will anyone threaten to deny the vote to this almost martyr who, far from being intimidated, has been able to rise up and ask his followers to fight? Before the epic, before destiny, before Providence, very reasonable positions in another context become, at best, marginal eccentricities.

A Trump who presents himself as the people's champion, a hero who has survived an attack and reacted with a resolve and strength that his opponent lacks, is right now simply unstoppable. The attack has flipped the script of the Republican Convention, which will now be more than ever a massive tribute to Trump with only two unknowns: who will accompany him as vice presidential candidate and what will be the next hurdle that he will undoubtedly overcome?

Vanessa Vallejo, Raymond K. Azar and Alfonso Aguilar, among others, will accompany Karina at the stand that VOZ has prepared at the Convention venue, so that no detail worth mentioning will be left unanalyzed. They will also be the VOICE of Hispanics to convey the concerns of this community to the leaders of the Republican Party.

The VOZ microphones will be used by all the participants in the convention who have something relevant to say. Delegates, leaders of the various GOP delegations and groups, as well as legislators, will be leaving their opinions and feelings at our booth so that they can feel as if they were present;

In addition, to ensure that everything reaches our followers with the highest possible quality, we will deploy a team of the best professionals.

VOZ was born two years ago to defend the principles, ideas and values that made the United States of America great; and we aim to become a reference for the Hispanic community, which every year has a greater weight in society. These objectives, two years later, are being achieved.

Since the first Republican National Convention was held in 1856 (John C. Fremont was the nominee), the GOP convention has accumulated many facts and curiosities that we review below:

- The 2024 Republican National Convention will be the 43rd.

- It will be the first time in history that Milwaukee and Wisconsin will hold the Republican National Convention.

- In all, 20 cities in 14 different states have hosted the Republican National Convention. Chicago leads the list, having hosted 14 times, followed by Philadelphia six times and Cleveland three times.

- The earliest Republican National Convention held was in 1860 (May 16-18). The latest was 2008 (September 1 to 4).

- After holding the 42 previous editions, the GOP succeeded in winning the election 24 times.

- 17 Republican nominees managed to become president. Some of them, for two terms: Abraham Lincoln (2), Ulysses S. Grant (2), Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley (2), Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Dwight D. Eisenhower (2), Richard Nixon (2), Ronald Reagan (2), George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Donald Trump.

- Throughout the history of the Republican National Convention, several hopefuls have been nominated as presidential candidates twice: Abraham Lincoln (2), Ulysses S. Grant (2), Benjamin Harrison (2), William McKinley (2), William Howard Taft (2), Herbert Hoover (2), Thomas E. Dewey (2), Dwight D. Eisenhower (2), Ronald Reagan (2), George H.W. Bush (2), George W. Bush (2) and Donald Trump (2). The latter, predictably, will earn his third nomination in 2024. Richard Nixon, with three, is the candidate who has been chosen the most times to represent the GOP.

- The Republican National Convention with the highest number of nominee names and official candidates was that of 1880, with 14; followed by 1920, 1940 and 1948, with 12 each. In those of 1872, 1900, 1904, 1956, 1972, 1984, 1988, 2004 and 2020 there was only one.

- Donald Trump is the oldest Republican candidate: at the Republican National Convention. In 2020, he ran at 74. In the November election, he will be 78. After him, Bob Dole and Ronald Reagan were each 73. On the other side, the youngest to be a presidential hopeful was John C. Fremont (43), followed by Theodore Roosevelt (46) and Thomas E. Dewey (46).