RNC Day 2 underway with DeSantis and Haley set to speak

Kari Lake, a Republican candidate for Senate in Arizona, turned her focus to the border, pointing to “disastrous Democrat policies” pushed by President Biden and the Democratic candidate in the race, Rep. Ruben Gallego. 

“Gallego and the Democrats have handed over control of my state Arizona’s border to the drug cartels,” Lake said. “And because of them, criminals and deadly drugs are pouring in, and our children are dying.”

Lake, who lost a bid for the governor’s mansion in 2022 and gained notoriety for refusing to accept the election results, spoke about the Arizona parents she has heard from on the campaign trail who have lost children to drug use. 

“We are losing a generation of young people to this fentanyl crisis, and it’s got to stop,” she said.

Lake is one of a slew of GOP Senate candidates set to speak Tuesday night. She said “the problems we face are huge,” putting the blame on Democrats. 

“But the solutions, guys, they’re really simple,” she added. “First of all, stop the Biden invasion and build the wall.”

The first hour of tonight’s program featured Reince Priebus, the former chairman of the RNC who went on to serve as Trump’s White House chief of staff, a job that ended up being short-lived. 

Priebus called Wisconsin “nation’s premier battleground state” and predicted it would help send Trump back to the White House. 

“We can make Wisconsin red again in 2024,” he said.

The state is one of seven battleground states that are likely to determine the outcome of the presidential election. Hosting the convention in Wisconsin puts the Republican Party’s message in front of key voters. 

Attendees also heard from Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee; Matt Brooks, the CEO of the Republican Jewish Coalition; Hayden Padgett, chairman of Young Republicans; and Julie Harris, president of the National Federation of Republican Women. 

Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to Vance on Tuesday over the phone, according to a source familiar with the conversation. Harris called Vance yesterday and left a voicemail after Trump announced he had selected Vance as his running mate.

A slew of Republican Senate candidates are set to take the stage Tuesday night, most of whom are from key battleground states that the party is hoping to win in November. Among them are Kari Lake, who’s seeking an Arizona seat, and West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice. The GOP Senate candidates from Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Nevada, Montana and Virginia are also scheduled to speak. 

This year’s Senate map is especially favorable to Republicans, who are aiming to flip control of the chamber come November. Three Democrats are up for reelection in states that Trump won in 2020, and another five in states where their reelection isn’t guaranteed, making Democrats’ hopes of maintaining their majority especially difficult.  

Earlier in the day, the Republican National Committee and Trump campaign released the list of speakers who are expected to address the convention Tuesday evening. The most prominent names include:

• Nikki Haley
• Gov. Ron DeSantis 
• House GOP leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson and Reps. Steve Scalise, Tom Emmer and Elise Stefanik
• Vivek Ramaswamy
• Republican Senate candidates 
• Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida
• Ben Carson
• Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders
• Lara Trump

Delegates gathered on the floor of Fiserv Forum on Monday afternoon, where the GOP adopted its 16-page platform, which was heavily influenced by the former president. The delegates went on to officially nominate Trump as the Republican presidential nominee before nominating Vance, his vice presidential pick. Trump first announced Vance as his running mate in a social media post, calling him the “person best suited” for the job while touting his education, military and business records. 

A number of prominent Republican lawmakers, candidates and officials spoke on the first day of the convention, including Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Katie Britt of Alabama, Tim Scott of South Carolina and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee; Govs. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and Kristi Noem of South Dakota; and Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Wesley Hunt of Texas, John James of Michigan and Byron Donalds of Florida. With a focus on the economy, the Republicans took aim at President Biden, while touting a better outlook under a second Trump administration. 

Near the night’s close, Trump made an appearance at the convention center. With a bandage on his ear, the former president joined members of his family and his new running mate in a box, as chants of “we love Trump” reverberated through the crowd. Trump is expected to accept the party’s nomination on Thursday.