On the second night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, speakers were loyal to former President Donald Trump, describing him as a self-sacrificial leader who took America to its greatest heights, only to see Biden undo his work.
Former foes – including former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley – lined up to praise Trump, admit their errors and sell voters on the promise of a second term.
Here are five takeaways:
Haley gets on board: Haley took the stage, at Trump’s invitation, to a mix of cheers and jeers, but quickly turned the crowd around with her full endorsement of Trump.
The (other) ring kissers: Other onetime rivals, such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, also kissed Trump’s ring. They also included Vivek Ramaswamy, former Housing and Urban Development secretary Ben Carson, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
Christie’s bombshell op-ed: Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a one-time Trump ally who has evolved to one of his most vocal Republican critics, dropped an op-ed in the New York Times just as Tuesday’s speeches got underway. Christie called Trump’s early attempts to “rein in some of the worst rhetorical impulses” in their party “less than promising.”
Candidates make their cases: Several Republican candidates in key House and Senate races made their own cases Tuesday night — with a range of approaches, from Arizona Senate candidate Keri Lake’s combative words to Pennsylvania Senate contender Dave McCormick’s call for unity.
Family programming: Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law and co-chair of the national party, closed out Tuesday’s festivities with an olive branch to fence-sitters: