By Nathan Layne
(Reuters) – Former president donald trump will be officially nominated next week at the Republican National Convention, a four-day event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, aimed at strengthening the party’s base heading into the Nov. 5 presidential election.
The political gathering will feature televised speeches from rising Republican stars and Trump’s selection as running mate, while also highlighting the party’s stance on issues including abortion, immigration and the economy.
Here’s what you need to know about the convention:
WHEN IS THE NATIONAL CONVENTION AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
The main action of the quadrennial event will take place July 15-18 at Fiserv Forum, the arena that is home to the Milwaukee Bucks professional basketball team. More than 50,000 people, including hundreds of journalists from around the world, are expected to participate.
Party delegates from all 50 states and six U.S. territories will officially select nominees for president and vice president at the convention.
Trump secured the vast majority of delegates during the state-by-state Republican nominating process earlier this year, so his selection in Milwaukee is assured and considered a formality.
He is expected to accept the nomination with a speech on July 18, the last night of the convention. Trump is expected to pick his running mate by July 15, and the vice presidential candidate will speak at the convention on July 17.
WHY IS MILWAUKEE’S LOCATION IMPORTANT?
Milwaukee is the largest city in Wisconsin, one of a handful of swing states that will be important in determining the overall outcome of the November election.
The Republicans’ decision to hold the convention in Wisconsin, which chose the candidate who has won nationally in the last four elections, was no coincidence. President Joe Bidena Democrat, won the state in 2020 by less than a percentage point, and public opinion polls show another close race between him and Trump in Wisconsin this year.
The Republican Party’s effort to show its support in Wisconsin took a hit ahead of the convention, with Trump reportedly calling Milwaukee a “horrible city” in a meeting with Republican lawmakers last month.
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said Trump was referring to problems with crime and voter fraud in the city. Violent crime has been declining in Milwaukee, mirroring a trend in major U.S. cities. There was no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 or 2022 elections.
WHY DO MATCH CONVENTIONS MATTER?
Don’t be distracted by the red, white and blue balloons and convention pomp – the event is an opportunity for the party to get lots of free publicity and rally supporters across the country for an election that could depend on turnout.
The party has not yet released a detailed agenda, but the convention has historically been a time for high-profile figures and emerging lawmakers to get valuable airtime to deliver potentially memorable speeches on the main stage.
The Republican National Committee announced themes for each of the four days. Monday will focus on how Trump would “turn the page” on Biden’s economic agenda; Tuesday will outline Trump’s policies to combat crime and support law enforcement; Wednesday will lay out plans to curb immigration at the southern border and improve foreign policy; and Thursday will focus on Trump’s overall strategy to strengthen the country.
WHAT CHANGES WILL BE MADE TO THE PARTY’S POLITICAL PLATFORM?
The Republican Party’s platform, a formal statement of policy positions, was approved by its platform committee and released on Monday. It is expected to be approved on the first day of the national convention, next week.
The 16-page platform embraces Trump’s position that the issue of abortion should be determined by each US state. It makes no mention of a federal ban or the protection of a fetus as a person under the US Constitution – principles that have been included in previous platforms and have been demanded by a group of influential evangelicals.
The platform, which is non-binding, also promises that Trump and Republicans will build a missile defense shield over the United States, carry out “the largest deportation in American history” of people illegally in the country, make permanent tax cuts signed by Trump and will approve “major tax cuts for workers.” It says they will demolish foreign drug cartels, protect Medicare and Social Security benefits, and support public funds used to pay tuition at private schools.
WHEN IS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONVENTION?
Democrats will hold their national convention in Chicago from August 19-22.
Biden had a shaky performance in the debate against Trump on June 27, raising questions about whether the incumbent will be the party’s nominee or be replaced by someone else.
It remains to be seen whether the convention will play a role in selecting a new candidate or whether Biden, who has pledged to remain in the race, will be officially nominated in Chicago.
Democrats are launching ads on more than 50 Milwaukee buses that will pass by the Republican convention in an effort to criticize the party’s and Trump’s policies, the Democratic National Committee said.
The ads focus on abortion rights, lowering the cost of prescription drugs and Trump’s recent criminal conviction, as well as his alleged “horrible city” comment about Milwaukee.
(Reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Alistair Bell)
