Cleveland: The billionaire businessman Donald Trump was officially named the 2016 Republican Presidential nominee early on Wednesday.
His son Donald Trump, Jr., cast the votes for the New York delegation that put the billionaire businessman over the top of the 1,237 delegates he needed to clinch the nomination, as any talk of disruptive protest votes or walkouts dissipated, CNN reported.
An effort to place the name of Texas Senator Ted Cruz for nomination fizzled late on Tuesday afternoon.
The effort had no chance of success since most of the delegates won by Trump in his Grand Old Party (GOP) nominating victory were bound to vote for him in the roll call under the rules of the Republican primary process.
Cruz’s inner circle had adamantly opposed any attempt to involve him in last minute convention floor intrigue, a senior adviser to the Texas senator told CNN.
“We’re not encouraging it. We’re actually trying to stop it,” the adviser said.
A rebellion would have emphasised the divides in the GOP torn open by Trump’s campaign, which was given little chance of success when he descended a golden escalator in Trump Tower with his wife Melania to set his sights on the White House in 2015.
Trump’s name was put into the nomination by Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, an early supporter of the businessman, and was seconded by fellow early supporters New York Representative Chris Collins and South Carolina Lt Governor Henry McMaster.
“We have gotten off course and the American people know it,” Sessions said in his speech, warning that crime is rising, terrorist attacks are proliferating, and Congress is deadlocked, arguing that Trump is the only answer.
“The American voters heard his message and they rewarded his courage and his leadership with a huge victory in our primaries,” Sessions said, drawing raucous cheers from Trump fans on the convention floor.
“He loves his country and he is determined to see it be a winner again,” CNN quoted Sessions as saying. “Donald Trump is the singular leader that can get this country back on track. He has the strength, the courage the will to get it done.”
Trump’s roll call will be followed by the nomination and vote for Indiana Governor Mike Pence as the Vice Presidential nominee.
–IANS