The Republican Party has officially nominated former President Donald Trump as their 2024 presidential candidate. The announcement was made at the Milwaukee convention, where Trump received nearly double the delegate votes needed to secure the nomination.
Trump's nomination comes as no surprise, as he has been the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for some time. However, the official action is a necessary and much-anticipated step toward the November 5 general election.
The selection of Trump as the Republican nominee takes on added emotional impact for the party faithful, considering his narrow escape from an assassination attempt just two days ago at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The incident resulted in the death of a Trump supporter and the wounding of two other attendees.
Despite the violence, both Trump and his presumed Democrat opponent, President Joe Biden, have called for peace, unity, and calm as the run-up to the 2024 election continues.
The two men disagree on many key policies, including those surrounding the economy and immigration, both of which are high on voters' lists of concerns. The Trump-Vance ticket is pro-life, while Biden supports abortion or "reproductive rights." The Biden campaign has also disagreed with Trump-Vance concerns about the Affordable Care Act.
In a major development just before the convention began, a Florida federal judge threw out one of the criminal cases against Trump. However, the former president still faces sentencing in September after being convicted of criminal charges in New York.
The selection of Trump's running mate, Sen. J. D. Vance (R-Ohio), has also been a topic of discussion. Vance, who called Trump "noxious," "reprehensible," an "idiot," and "cultural heroin" during the 2016 campaign, has since begged Trump and Republican voters for forgiveness.
Vance's transformation to win over Trump is somewhat more nuanced than one might expect. On an ideological level, he always had a populist streak. However, the extent to which he has changed his views on issues such as foreign policy and military intervention is notable.
As the campaign continues, it remains to be seen how Trump and Vance will fare against Biden and his running mate. However, one thing is clear: the race for the White House is heating up.
Sources:
theepochtimes.comthedispatch.comthedailybeast.com