The Republican National Convention (RNC) will take place from July 15-18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Here’s everything you need to know before the convention starts on Monday.
What is the RNC?
The RNC is a four-day event in which the Republican Party makes preparations for the presidential election in November. During the convention, party members and delegates officially nominate their presidential and vice presidential candidates, confirm a party platform and provide a space for elected officials and voters to network with party organizations.
For this year's convention, delegates will only be allowed to vote for President Donald Trump, who is the only declared candidate still in the race. Had competitors like former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis not dropped out, their delegates would still be awarded to them.
How does the nomination work?
Each state sends a collection of delegates to represent the results of the state's primary election. The Republican Party of Wisconsin is sending 41 delegates to the convention. Each of Wisconsin's eight congressional districts has three representatives each, and the remaining seventeen are meant to represent the entire state.
Most of these delegates will vote for former President Donald Trump, who won the state's presidential primary in April. At the end of the convention, the candidate with the most votes from delegates becomes the party’s official nominee for president.
Who will be there?
As the presumptive nominee, Trump will give a speech at the convention on July 18. DeSantis is also set to speak, and his wife Melania Trump is expected to make an appearance.
Former Gov. Scott Walker, former gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels and Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Brian Schimming will all serve as delegates for the state.
What will they do?
Along with attending the five sessions of the convention, delegates and elected officials will also attend numerous events around the city. On July 15, the Heritage Foundation, one of the party’s most prominent think tanks, will hold an all-day livestreamed event outlining conservative policy goals.
The convention will also include a screening of the movie “Reagan” starring Dennis Quaid and a welcome party with the theme “Red, White, and Brew.” Individual delegations will have their own events.
What’s in the Republican Party’s platform, and how does the approval process work?
The Republican platform outlines the party's policy positions on immigration, energy production and inflation, among other issues. Notably, the platform only talks briefly about abortion, which has been a hot-button issue in Wisconsin and nationally since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
The platform says the party,"will oppose Late-Term Abortion while supporting mothers and policies that advance Prenatal Care, access to Birth Control, and IVF (fertility treatments),” according to the document. The platform also features headlines like, “CULTIVATE GREAT K-12 SCHOOLS LEADING TO GREAT JOBS AND GREAT LIVES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE” and “BRING COMMON SENSE TO OUR GOVERNMENT AND RENEW THE PILLARS OF AMERICAN CIVILIZATION.”
The Republican National Committee, which is in charge of planning and running the convention, met on July 8 to create and ratify the platform. The platform will be officially approved by members at the convention on July 15.
Gabriella Hartlaub is the former arts editor for The Daily Cardinal. She has also written state politics and campus news. She currently is a summer reporting intern with Raleigh News and Observer. Follow her on Twitter at @gabihartlaub.
