MILWAUKEE — The Republican National Convention wrapped up Thursday night with former President Donald Trump and Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) officially accepting the presidential and vice presidential nominations.
The four-day extravaganza at the Fiserv Forum featured the most prominent GOP leaders, allies, and even some rock stars to pump up a crowd eager to support Trump in his rematch against President Joe Biden .
The failed assassination attempt against Trump at a Saturday rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, took place just two days before the convention commenced, but the GOP's persistent message of unity proved to be a beacon of light for attendees.
Here are the top takeaways from the convention.
The GOP vows to 'fight, fight, fight!'
Multiple speakers, lawmakers, and delegates at the convention remained in a cheerful spirit as the events began this week, saying that neither Trump nor the party would be cowed by political violence against him.
“As we meet tonight, we cannot forget that this evening could have been much different. Instead of a day of celebration, this could have been a day of heartache and mourning,” Vance said during his speech at the convention. “For the last eight years, President Trump has given everything he has to fight for the people of our country. He didn’t need politics, but the country needed him.”
“The devil came to Pennsylvania holding a rifle, but the American lion got back up on his feet,” Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) said . “And he roared!”
Trump's motto that he would "fight, fight, fight," his bandaged ear, and his raised fist after being injured became rallying cries for the GOP. Delegates created makeshift bandages in solidarity with Trump while speaker after speaker invoked Trump's fighting spirit.
Trump electrifies convention all week long
Although Trump didn't speak at the convention until Thursday, he first appeared on Monday and sat in the "Make America Great Once Again" box section as he was showered with a standing ovation. The former president once again gave the crowd a triumphant fist, which led to repeated chants of "we want Trump!"
Trump continued to appear at the convention on Tuesday and Wednesday before he gave a roughly 90-minute acceptance speech on Thursday, setting the record for the longest-ever acceptance speech in American presidential history.
“I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America,” Trump said in a speech that mainly focused on uniting the GOP and the nation. “So tonight, with faith and devotion, I proudly accept your nomination for president of the United States.”
Delegates in numerous interviews with the Washington Examiner championed Trump's leadership and were unequivocal in their beliefs that he would win another term in the White House. "I think Donald J. Trump has really figured out this job. He's great at what it means to run for president and how to be a president," said Richard Porter, a Republican national committeeman from Illinois.
"There's no doubt he's going to unify the GOP. It's already a done deal. He's already done it," said Shannon Beddo, a delegate from Washington state.
Vance steps into the limelight as Trump's running mate
On the first day of the convention, Trump announced on Truth Social that Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) would join his ticket as the vice presidential candidate, putting an end to the monthslong speculation. Before joining the Senate, Vance gained notoriety for writing Hillbilly Elegy and his story of overcoming poverty in Appalachia.
Although some party members were still learning what he stood for, most were effusive in praising Vance. “I just think he is a good choice. He’s an original thinker,” said Vivek Ramaswamy, a former Trump primary rival. “I think Trump-Vance is probably the most formidable presidential ticket that I’ve seen in my lifetime.”
In his first speech as Trump's running mate, Vance sought to appeal to middle America and voters who had been hard hit by rising grocery and gas prices. "My fellow Americans, this moment is not about me. It’s about all of us and who we’re fighting for,” the senator said. “It’s about the auto worker in Michigan wondering why out-of-touch politicians are destroying your jobs. It’s about the factory worker in Wisconsin who makes things with their hands and is proud of American craftsmanship.”
Trump would later rib Vance, who has rocketed in national importance, during his acceptance speech on Thursday. “J.D., you’re going to be doing this for a long time. Enjoy the ride,” Trump teased.
Trump's rivals fall in line
Despite a contentious primary cycle featuring a wide-ranging group of Republicans, most of Trump's former competitors took to the stage at the convention to sing his praises.
The two fiercest competitors, former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), both spoke on Tuesday evening and championed Trump as the leader of the GOP.
“I’ll start by making one thing perfectly clear: Donald Trump has my strong endorsement, period,” Haley said, throwing her full weight behind Trump.
“My fellow Republicans, let’s send Joe Biden back to his basement, and let’s send Donald Trump back to the White House,” DeSantis followed up when he spoke after Haley.
Haley, in particular, stressed to wary Republicans that disagreeing with Trump did not preclude them from voting for him. Her supporters continued to protest-vote against Trump during the primary, even after the former ambassador had exited the race. But she implored her supporters to reconsider Trump as Biden faces calls to drop out of the 2024 race due to concerns that he doesn't have the mental acuity to serve another four years in office.
Other primary rivals, including Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND), Scott, and Ramaswamy, all spoke at the convention in defense of Trump to the public.
GOP confident Biden can be defeated
As the convention led to the coronation of Trump as the king of the GOP, Biden was beating back growing calls for him to step down from the Democratic ticket.
The Trump campaign and the GOP have watched gleefully as Democrats struggle to convince Biden to step aside, bragging to reporters about their disarray. "The most important thing to understand is that we've had three days, and we'll have a fourth day today that demonstrates the Republican Party has completely unified," a Trump adviser said on Thursday morning. "On the other hand, you've got the Democrats, who after three weeks still can't decide whether or not Biden should run for reelection."
Delegates repeatedly told the Washington Examiner that they were unconcerned about Biden's problems because Trump will win the November election. "He should have dropped out years ago," said Blake Marnell, a California delegate. "My focus has been here. I'm not really looking what's happening Joe Biden, so I'm getting some of the reports, but I wouldn't be surprised. In fact, months ago, I kind of said there's probably a 40%, 30% chance that Joe Biden would drop out shortly after the primaries or right before the DNC."
Biden has not dropped out of the race, but on Friday, several House and Senate Democrats called on Biden to suspend his campaign .
“While the decision to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden’s alone, I believe it is in the best interests of our country for him to step aside,” Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) said.
Rachel Schilke contributed to this report.
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